I'm not sure where to start with this so I guess I'll jump straight in, I wasn't at the game today so I'm not going to make any comment on that however it seems as if since the Cambridge game, the players have completely switched off and forgot about the scrap we're in.

The complacency since the Cambridge game has been unbelievable, particularly with the game against Newport, most seemed happy with a point there but I saw it is two points dropped and I'm fearing that the 2 goal slip on Good Friday may cost us and haunt us. It's another weekend where we've had to rely on Cheltenham and Tranmere to lose and it can't keep going on, something has to give. Where has the heart and character gone that got us out of the mess that we seem to getting drawn back in to? We have way too many players who think that they are better than Hartlepool United, too many players who are using us as a stepping stone to bigger things. These players need a reality check, sit them down and show them the league table. There is a reason you are playing for a Club who have been in and around relegation scraps for the last three seasons and this season in particular, you are partly responsible for the mess that we are in. There's a good reason why you are playing for a Club at the bottom of The Football League.

I'll use Brad Walker as an example, he was outstanding last season and was amongst the contenders for Player of the Season, but this season he bas been a completely different player and it's as if he doesn't care. He posted on the social media site Instagram last night a picture that said, "Your dream doesn't have an expiration date. Take a deep breath and try again." Haway Brad, your only dream at present should be keep Hartlepool United in the Football League, it does have an expiration date and it's May 2nd 2015 in Carlisle.

He's just an example, we have a few others who have a chip on their shoulder and think they should be playing in a League above or a higher level than what we're at. It annoys me, they don't realise what this football club means to us. They don't realise how much Hartlepool, as a town, needs a League club. This football club is the livelihood of thousands and it's what people work for, people work all week for the money to come and support Pools. I bet a few are hurting over today's result and are fearing the worst, but I know them people will be proud to support Pools whatever happens. And they'll continue to do so next season, and the season after and so on. The support the team have had from us, not just in recent weeks, but all season has been undeserved but it's what you expect with Pools. We've had more or less over 3000 fans at every home game this season and we took 2024 to York whilst 22nd in the league and we'll be taking over 1500 to Carlisle in two weeks time. This club would be nothing without it's supporters and if we did stop, you'd notice it.

Whatever happens in the next two weeks, I'll be at both games and I'll be renewing my season ticket regardless of what league we're in because I'm proud to support Pools. Never Say Die!

What luton thought of pools today

http://members.boardhost.com/lutonoutla ... 86291.html

I slept for a full hour after reading that.

I think its perfectly obvious that it's not a change in attitude as such. More a change in expectation.

The players were playing with a relative amount of freedom in the 4 game winning run. The pressure was off, there was literally nothing to lose. Everybody had us dead and buried. We built a small amount of momentum that got us out of the bottom 2 and all of a sudden the pressure increased and teams started looking at us and looking at ways to counter us.

We are not a good team, even with the Loanees. During the games we won, we didn't play attractive football, we simply out battled teams, played with freedom and got a fair amount of luck.

We are now seeing players crippled by fear. It's psychological.

If we get the first goal in either of the next 2 games, we'll be a different team completely.

An early goal next week say in first 20 mins then with a partizan crowd behind the team the confidence levels will be sky high to go on and win the game comfortably.

Got a good feeling it will all be done n dusted come 5pm next satday.

This

In the build up to last Saturday's game John Still of Luton was saying that he thought Hartlepool had under-performed this season as there was some quality in the squad. Odds on he was thinking of Harewood, Bates, Miller, and Parnaby.

Here we are one win (probably) from safety or two more bad performances from relegation and it says it all that the fitness of a loan player (David Mirfin) is more important to Pools' survival chances than the club's four best paid players.

Harewood is a squad regular but rarely starts (and I wouldn't start him on Saturday). Bates is back in Moore's thoughts and probably should start in midfield so Featherstone can play further forward. Ronnie doesn't seem to fancy Miller at all and Parnaby likely still isn't fit enough to be risked.

It really is down to the kids, the loan signings and the recent non-leaguers to summon something up for Saturday and save Pools' bacon. I'll have the prayer mat out for Mirfin to be back in time.

people talk about walker as being disappointing this season. Two questions:

Is there too much pressure / expectation on this young lads shoulders?
Did an experienced prion Simon Walton allow walker to express himself better (i.e. did we underestimate the impact Walton had)

There were people on here last season saying that Walton was holding back Walker's development by playing alongside him. Doesn't look that way now does it? And I get a laugh every time Scott Harrison hits a long diagonal ball up field. Looks a hell of a lot like a 'Hollywood pass' to me!

sunbed wasnt the tidiest of footballers but I liked him he would do something not many of our players would do...put a strong tackle in when needed! Should never have left for me, if anything I dare sare he helped walkers game by giving him freedom to bomb forward

It was disappointing to go from a winning position to end up with a draw at Newport but looking back, I said afterwards that a point away shouldn't be sniffed at.

Southend, pressed them all the way but unlucky in the end. York, Accrington & Saturday at Luton, we are back in the thick of it and still relying on others below us dropping points. I don't know whether the good results in March after the Burton game when most of us had resigned ourselves to the drop got some of that squad thinking job done and we can relax.

Hartlepool needs a league club and these players have to fight for everything in the final 2 games regardless of whether Tranmere & Cheltenham lose and we win. I agree with comments over Brad Walker, seems to think he's become a hero after that penalty against Mansfield but he's young and perhaps needs to realise he's still got a long way to go yet although at the same time, we are asking youngsters to keep us up and there must be pressure on them at the same time knowing their careers at Pools are potentially on the line. Tshibola is obviously injured as not the player he was earlier on and in all fairness, he's likely playing through pain to help us.

I like the look of Harrison and he could be a decent player at this level. Likewise, Fenwick has been unlucky with injury and if he'd stayed fit perhaps we might be safe, I don't know.

All i'm hoping for on Saturday at home is a willingness to fight for every ball, get stuck in and an early goal. Hopefully Mirfin will be ready in time and perhaps Miller might his final chance in a Pools shirt. I'd go mental if he struck that goal that keeps us up