Saturday 29th April 2008 KO 3pm
Coca-Cola League One
Hartlepool United vs. Nottingham Forest

THE RETURN OF THE DIMI !!!!!!

I hope he goes walkabout again with Joel Porter bearing down on him and Richie Barker poised to nod in the cross that comes over.

He wasn't as perfect as people remember.

For instance he was the regular when we got relegated.

I think your under rating him there kev.

Yeah, whereas I am am, if not somewhat under-rated.

here here to dimi not being the masiah people make him. i can regularly remember DImi being at the front line of some heavy critisism. He was far from the perfect keeper. Jim Provett was equally as good, as Dimi could have quite easily been mistaken as Dracula. And some pools fans need to be reminded of Dimi getting bigger than the club demanding massive wages!!!!!

Richie Humphreys is the best left back we've had for years. Doesn't make him a great left back though does it.

(And before people jump in I'm not saying that RH aint a decent player, just that he's not a great left back)

PS. Martin Hodge is the best keeper I reckon Pools have had since I've been watching.

Brian Horny Trousers

Yes, have to agree there, martin hodge was quality,my personal favourite aswell, now he really did comand his box! His performance away to stoke in the early ninties, when we won 0-1 thanks to a Lenny Johnrose header if i remember correctly, was the best individual performance i have EVER seen from a goalkeeper, he was outstanding!

that performance will never be bettered by any keeper in any league in the World - ever!!!! I'm not exaggerating, Hodge was simply unbeatable that day. They must have had 30 shots at goal, including a penalty, still couldn't get it past him.

Can't believe you're all ignoring the claims of the mighty Flapper Cox and his baggy tracky bottoms. That man and his presumably flabby thighs were responsible for some of the most entertaining goalkeeping ever seen at the Vic.

I remember being in a pub in Sheffield and asking the lad behind the bar the Pools score. He said his uncle played for Pools and proudly announced it was Cox...he looked a bit puzzled as I spat my beer out and then sat laughing uncontrollably for about five minutes.

Plus he gets half the credit for the best sports headline ever- Cox Out Knobbs Out!

Dimi was a case of you don't know what you've got till it's gone. He was competent and that's all you really need from a goalie, though three or four spectacular match-winning saves a season doesn't harm either.

The opposite is true of Budtz. A few Donny supporters have asked me how he is doing at Pools. Their view of him was he seemed fine until their present goalie came along and showed how a real goalkeeper should play.

Dimi polished his act at Pools and won over the initial doubters. I think ALB should be able to emulate that.

Can someone please explain to me what is wrong with someone wanting more money when they are performing well?

Dimi wasa very good player and he has been badly missed this season. He did a professional job and saw out his contract so I don't see how anyone could possibly have a beef with him....?

it's all ifs and buts now, but as many have already said on the team selections, imagine Dimi + Porter + Monkhouse in most of our games this season, and I think we'd be looking at an extra 10-12 points tally, at least.

Dimi was an ever present in the season we got relegated. Mickey Nelson made 43 starts. Humps was ever present too.

The problem that season was we couldn't score.

This season we're like a tramps colostomy bag.

We haven't really missed Monkhouse when he hasn't played, we don't need more goals. We need to shut up shop and Porter and Monkhouse aren't defenders.

I'm going fookin blue in the face here.......

Are you for fukking real?

Monkhouse wins headers, gets stuck in and is creative. Who has played well on the left wing apart from Monkey? Part of shutting up shop starts with defending from the front......

"as good as Jim Provett"

Wondered how long till that peach came up.

Due to my Jonah status I can't comment on games I might or might not have been to.

However, if I'd been at Tranmere and Crewe I would've thought Monkhouse was one of Pools best players on both days but I might not have been there so I can only tell you that someone told me he was.

We havent missed Monkhouse???

Are you for real???

When Monkhouse plays, the whole team plays. Probabaly the most important player in the team imo. Without him we are devoid of ideas and his does defend and helps Humps out a lot.

Really cant believe I read that.

Got to agree, never rated him.