Mind you, the club’s biggest problem was Cleveland County Council demanding ground improvements and apparently looking for ways to shut the club down.
It was at the time the Boro were trying to get the Riverside open for the first match of the season and running out of time with checks...... some Cleveland County council bloke came on the radio to say they were pulling out all the stops ...I had a Krakatoa moment

Sorry Snowy, the Cleveland County story is rubbish. Far from wanting the club to fail I know, from very personal connections, that Cleveland County's lawyers tightened up the covenant on Victoria Ground, as it was then known. For that lawyer bought me my first season tocket............

How could they possibly tighten up the covenant, the ground was owned by Hartlepool Borough Council, outside Cleveland’s remit. I know from working there.

Thought we were under Cleveland County until 96? I've never known exactly how it worked but I've heard the town for a raw deal in some ways from Cleveland.

Cleveland = fund Middlesbrough and fuck everyone else.

Our name for it was ‘Toxic on Tees’ County Council.

wish they,d stuck with durham c.c. and middlesbrough still in north yorks. there must have been some point behind it but i for one thought the whole thing was a change for changes sake everywhere in the country where boundary changes were made and new areas set up.

genius.

Now the dust has settled it looks potentially like a very good transfer window.
Not a lot of deadwood with one or two gooduns grabbed like the snake always managed to call a transfer window.

The signing of Morris for me will be one of those we look back on and say thank god we got him when we did. If we Sign him he could easy be one of the best midfielders in this league - A very good addition to our team. No doubt should his performances keep getting better - Burton will want him back or another League club will come sniffing. I know we have the option to buy at the end of the loan im led to believe.

Joe White again another class act and someone who will only get better - he seems to be a very confident young man who knows his abilities and knows he can get past a man or 2 at this level. Showed a few times late on in the Barrow game that his positioning isnt quite there yet but that will come in time and from Feaths barking at him soon enough !

Spike has already had phonecalls from the NL enquiring about certain players also. Be interesting to see if we have anyone move on this month or next. In all fairness i can see Boyes going out on loan somewhere (as spike stated he would) and also Smith.
Smith wont get in the starting lineup especially now - Fela could also be another finding himself in the NL on loan, which i think would do him the world of good. Papers seem to think Holohan is the man who would be off - hasnt done no where near enough yet to warrant a move higher up for me - wont get in Stockports team just now either.

its a pity about fela as he has done well playing away from a central position and would have liked to see him getting some time in a league game. holohan seems to be one who has had a real disappointing season and cannot remember the last really good game he has had. seems to take longer as well than others when injured to get back up to speed. i,d hate to lose him permanently but a loan move may be beneficial for him and the club.

another i forgot about, anyone knows what francis angol is doing. is he injured or just totally out of favour. hope its not the latter as i personally rate him higher than ferguson in a 3 or 4 at the back.

yeh Fela has had impact in games for me which no other player we have has had - Cullen is rubbish and havnt seen enough of Cooky just yet although i know he has it in him to produce goals. Fela in the last 3 games he has played / started has been really good. His tracking back - his hold up play for a short guy has been immense - even his touch is good and he has pace. Ive said it before, if he was 6ft plus he wouldnt be at Pools. The ability is there i just think he may have a confidence or injury issue. Doesnt seem to make the match day squad just now which isnt good.

Yeh Holohan has a lot to do for me to get above the new lads - hes hardly a player to bring on to steady the ship either. Crawford has turned into the player we all needed and wanted also so theres another man now infront of him - nice dilemma for us Poolies to have for a change.

Just need Carver to get upto L2 fitness now and i think even he could be a little gem for us in a front 3.

ZFA again ... the missing man... Played absolutely class as a stand in Left sided CB - Played unreal in the Cup games yet again doesnt get in the match day squad - can see him going to Stockport and following DC if im honest, somethings a miss and Stockport dont have much cover in that position. Hes well above the NL level though as proven this season.
Hopefully he is injured as looking at our bench we dont actually have cover for LB if Ferguson got injured.

he will not be going to stockport as they have 2 ex poolies for the left back position in kitching and now johnson. you would have thought francis angol has actually left the club with the amount of mentions he ever gets. we know carver was injured but how severe or the length of time out none of us have a clue. season after season information for fans gets worse. its not as if we do not care or are not interested.

Gav Holohan's contract is up in the summer. He's only started 14 games this season and it looks like an uphill struggle for him to get back into the side now Morris and White have been added to the squad. Basically he needs to come off the bench and score - chipping in with goals regularly was a big part of what made him so valuable to Pools in the NL.

I thought Holohan won the Blackpool game for us he was outstanding, can't understand people saying he's lost his form he just hasn't had game time, I rate him as he's a goalscorer, another like Hawkes if we let go will regret it.

Also people knocking Cullen too, he's got 6 goals and has always given 100% for me, he's not a big target man, but a good finisher. Best games to goals rate at the club barring Burey.

Fela gone - as i mentioned before. Knew there was NL clubs enquiring about him and this will do him the world of good should he get game time. Wish the lad all the best and hope he comes back hungrier and sharper.

Agree he had a great second half against Blackpool. I didn't say he'd lost form, just that for whatever reason he's not started many games since he came back from injury - and scoring would be a great way of pushing his name back up the midfield pecking order.

Thing is, he has to actually get back in the team to prove his ability, which could be difficult.
Noticed Blackpool haven’t looked back since we beat them....and weren’t too bad before.

(Discounting Carver and Bogle as too early to judge) best finisher at the club and I couldn't agree more.

far better a player when he starts games than when he comes off the bench. some players make excellent subs whilst others do not. he is worth a start for me but somehow now i cannot see it happening.

gone to yeovil till the end of the season. did he sign a two year on one year contract at pools. if its the former then i doubt we will see him again in a pools shirt.