So Bates has just confirmed that Michael Woods is in talks with another club for a move. Trying to dress it up as though it’s a transfer and being vague so to make it sound like it could be good business for the club.

Truth is, it’s an appalling football decision which allegedly is based on financial matters for the fact that the club pay Woods an appearance fee whenever he plays as he is on one of the old contracts being one of the longest serving players at the club. Featherstone (New contract), Paddy & Noble (Both signed this summer) don’t have an appearance bonus therefore they play.

Woods had the chance to join 2 teams in the football league last January but the club begged him to stay and help keep us up. They promised him that if he did they wouldn’t stand in his way in the summer just gone. Woods did just that. The club don’t seem to have stuck to their side of be bargain. Poor lad.

In the summer Woods had the chance to sign for MK Dons and what did the club do to him? Stopped him going, took up the option year on his contract and made him stay. Probably thinking they would get a fee for him. That didn’t happen.

Then what, we don’t play him, and now he leaves. To, I’m hearing Harrogate, who are in our division and sitting in 4th or 5th in the league.

I’d guess with football league clubs admiring him that he simply couldn’t wait until January to get the fuck away from our club. He can only transfer to non league clubs outside of a transfer window.

What a crock of shite. He was our top scorer last year and one of our best players. Also a great lad I’m told. Loyalty means nothing at this club. Look how they treat the fans and now the players.

I’m not surprised by any of this though. Good night.

And bottom of it to clarify. His contract will be terminated and he will join Harrogate for free. This is not a transfer for a fee.

January is only six weeks away.
Would he get a percentage of any signing on fee if he waited till then.
Wouldn't that be more than not taking appearance fees over the next six weeks?

Who cares, Woods isn't good enough for this league, as are Featherstone, Hawkins et al

I like Woodsy, but he's ridiculously inconsistent. Saving his wage will surely allow us to bring someone else in?

Disappointed at this, always liked woodsy and would much rather game him in the squad than away on a free

Disappointed at this, always liked woodsy and would much rather game him in the squad than away on a free

yes, another kid from the other side of the transporter.

NOT THE BERRER ONES AGAIN!

Fucking give it a rest.

I prefer our consistently garbage midfielders over the inconsistent good one. As well. Keep the faith bates knows best.

Always rate Compo's sauces very highly but this story sounds very one sided.

When players and clubs fall out it isn't usually a case of one being entirely in the wrong, although when we weren't paying people I'm sure that was frequently the case.

If Pools are so desperate to save money that they avoid paying his appearance bonuses by not picking him why not let him leave earlier and save a whole wage? Maybe he got pissed off about not being allowed to leave, has been a bit arsey and that's why Bates won't pick him? That would explain why they're letting him go now having activated his contract extension in the summer.

Just speculating because Pools behaving so irrationally doesn't sound quite right at the moment.

Daddy's or HP?

It was obviously Heinz you crazy bastad.

It does look like there's a rabbit away somewhere with this one - Woodsy talking in his Harrogate interview about "circumstances" being the reason he's moved on from Hartlepool doesn't sound great. In normal circumstances he'd have been straight back into the team when Pools started struggling.

All the best Michael - thanks for the goals last season, we'd have swapped places with Harrogate without them.

These are probably the player deals that the club is trying to rid itself of and as a consequence of this we are loosing some decent players but the financial security of the club is coming first.
I cant really argue with that.Then when we are stable we can build the team again.
Dont expect too much this season.

But then why extend his contract in the summer?

Personally not that arsed he has gone. Too many players in that position anyway, plus goes missing too much

I think you're definitely reading too much into things there Phil. There's no flash sale - Cassidy and Hawkins are fringe players at the very best - and the 'rumours' come from a visiting alien disguised as a match day steward.

That podcast doesn't sound so funny now after another feckin' home defeat, but there's no way they'd manage to sound that lighthearted in the middle of a financial crisis.

Hmmm some ludicrous comments above regarding Woods tbh - pretending his departure doesn’t matter. This is a 28 year old goalscoring midfielder with much experience of the EFL who will prove invaluable to a progressive club such as Harrogate who have realistic ambitions of gaining promotion THIS season not at some undetermined point in the future.

As phil mentions, rumours of financial crises, fire sales, experienced players being shipped out to keep the administrator away and replaced by raw kids from the Boro are all worryingly familiar. The only comforting difference is that we have one of our own in the mix at the helm these days. Surely Sir Jeff would flag up any real cause for concern - wouldn’t he?

It’s weird how players become world beaters after they leave, Woods scores once in 14 appearances this season and very rarely lasts more than 60 minutes without blowing out his arse, decent once in every 6 or 7. Won’t be missed in my opinion although it sounds like he was treat like shit the past few months

Funny how players who have actually made a half-decent contribution to the (admittedly poor) fortunes of HUFC over recent years are readily dismissed by the usual suspects with comments such as ‘ I never rated him anyway’ when they leave the current shambolic version of a once proud and respected little club. For Woods you can read Liddle, Walker, Amond, Allassandra and numerous others who are currently doing reasonably well elsewhere - and doubtless Woods will prove to be no exception to the rule.

As for ‘not lasting more than 60 minutes without blowing out of his arse’ that could apply to virtually all of the current collection of no-hopers that Hignett and Bates have assembled - ‘the fittest side in the league’ to coin mumbler Bates pre-season quote - ooh me ribs.

The tragic thing is, a transfer to Harrogate Town is now seen as an 'upward' move for one of our players. That is not to disrespect Harrogate Town, who are obviously a well run, ambitious club, but it is a mark of how far Pools have fallen.

Someone is starting to wite on the wall again...

Just think how much better off we would have been if we got rid of him 12 months earlier? As for blowing out of his arse after 60 minutes, it might just have something to do with the fact that he does actually run outside the 10 metre circle the current 3 seem to stick to plus he would actually put in a meaty tackle or three during the game again unlike the current crop. As for scoring once in 14, I notice the current crop (excluding penalties) again are really prolific considering minutes on the pitch.
Just an observation though

Spot on Ray52.

How would we ever know what would of been if we had sold him 12 months earlier .. Well yeah that's what professional midfielders should be doing, I'm not saying he was a joke of a player or anything just the fact he couldn't last past 60 minutes which is 2/3 of a game, which isn't really good enough.
So how would Woods improve that if he's scored 2 less than Featherstone who rarely get's over the halfway line.

Woods and his agent negotiated his contracts with us. Its not bit clubs problem if the pay/appearance clause didn't work out for him if it is indeed true.

He's gone, it's all irrelevant now.

I wish you were my history teacher snowy!

It’s NOT irrelevant In afraid, the departure of Woods represents the loss of yet another experienced player from what is already a piss poor squad made up of five or six half-decent pros plus inexperienced youths, some of who are here on short term loan deals.

Despite all of the predictable pre-season hype and promises of openness and honesty there is currently sweet FA emanating from the club hierarchy in respect of future strategy ie where the club is actually supposed to be heading. Raj Singhs programme notes from Sunday revealed nothing other than discussions at management/player level following the Bromley debacle (presumably followed by similar discussions after the Barnet debacle) while nothing has been heard from Sir Jeff since his ‘still in austerity’ speech and DOF Craig Hignett remains as silent as the home crowd. Little wonder that attendances are dropping as many fans yet again become disillusioned following yet another false dawn to add to the collection.

Is it time to accept just being shit?

We've done that for 11 seasons now.
But now it's worse than shit.
A vicious circle of shit managers n players coming n going.
How we, still have 3000 fans is unbelievable Jeff!

in the long run that situation is more important than woods going. fitness seems something that has actually gone backwards from last season to this.

It always does, yet we have had the same Fitness Coach for ages.