Got to think that Nialle Rodney must be at risk as well in January, I can't comment on his performances as I've never seen him in the flesh, but having a short term contract and not getting game time only equals one thing doesn't it?

Nialle should be banging on Coopers door imo.

James is either carrying a knock, simply exhausted or holding back for some reason. Doesnt seem to be running at full pelt anymore or harrasing their defence.

The one thing we know about Rodney is he is quick as fuck, give him a run against tiring legs especially when we need to chase the game or change it a bit and give their defence something else to think about. Even if it means taking James off for 30minutes or so.

only Cooper and Hignett know what they are like in training, maybe Cooper already has his eye on a replacement and if it means moving him out to bring in someone better then so be it. Cooper is doing his job properly in that case

Obviously he doesn't trust him to make a difference and as he's already got rid of Howard, his priority is almost certainly a forward

and forgot to add.... reading that just shows we have a management team who are here to make a difference to HUFC, yes they will have career aspirations, but they have stated they want players who want to be at Hartlepool, not just decent players

We definately need a good all-round striker, a right winger (for competition) and an attack minded central midfielder (a la Tommy Miller in his early years).

I just think James has had two quiet games were he has been tightly marked. Plus the more creative players around him have not played as well. He is 19 and will have dips in form and need a rest. We need a better option than Rodney before he gets a rest though.

Team's will no doubt have done their research on James and in a way he has been marked out of the game.. I'm sure it's just a slight dip in form and he will be back to his old ways. A striker is priority for January imo.

I agree with PJ about getting a striker lined up to give us something different, probably a chunkier/more robust version of James (i.e. a Porter type of player) who might not be as fast but is more physically strong - but is still a proper footballer at the same time (i.e. not a Howard or a Lormor or Barker type... cos that only ends up with the team playing the way which doesn't work)

Someone in the mould of Heffernan or Lowe would do me.

Onandi Lowe? wouldn't argue with that.

I'd resign Howard, we are missing the flick on's

We need a Flash Gordon Watson type of player.

sadly that only happens when players of his ilk are an injury risk and so hardly play. Otherwise they would never get to Pools in the first place. I'm sure someone had to pay back his insurance premium payout so he could play in the league?

We've played 3 games since Howard was released and haven't won 1 of them, think that say's it all.. Bring back Howard!

We have Walker

Walker will be a star

His granddad is counting on it, so that he can retire!

My first reaction to reading the Fail online this morning was, great - Cooper and Hignett have their transfer targets and obviously believe they've got some finance to back it up, as they're not just looking at loan options. Also great, incidentally, that they are putting in the hours and long miles checking out players rather than using the pin stickers' guide, which felt like the case in the recent past.

Hartlepool United feels like a football club with ambition again, notwithstanding Ken's mantra about FFP.

Colin Cooper's comments about Scott Flinders last week made it clear nobody will be leaving the club in the transfer window unless there's serious money on the table, so the 'sleeping giants' of the Championship and League One can feck right off rather than come sniffing around for Luke James or anyone else. I think the worst Pools need to worry about is Dolan and/or Burgess going back to the Borer, and it sounds like the management have got that contingency covered if need be.

exactly!!!!

Yeah but I was thinking along the lines of a little nippy one, Walker/Dolan/Walton are all just a touch TOO similar.

totally agree . that young lad at whitby was very effective when we played pre season , tom portas i think very fast, direct and creative.