1.







Well that's that sorted.

Loach
Kioso
Hawkes

sign Molyneux and Holohan

That sums up the verdict of this Jury.

Hopefully the people making the decisions are a bit more measured, all of our players can’t be useless but what is absolutely crucial is that we recruit the right type of players required to get results at this level and move on the ones who aren’t. It’s about finding the right balance and having the things required in keys areas.

You can’t just start from scratch though, for a start we have some talented young players like Kioso and Hawkes, are you releasing them? We have made recent signings who I’m sure will be better with a full pre season. Time is up for a couple at least, Featherstone and Magnay 100% for me, Donaldson I’m not sure has done enough over two years. Even if you replaced and improved on just those three you have the basis for a better spine in the team, especially given all three have also captained the team at various points. It’s certainly a big summer ahead though.

Loach?
Didn't read any further than that.

Hang on....

Wasn’t Loach shite about three weeks ago?

Featherstone's time surely up? When Pools have a bad day he generally stands out as the worst of the bunch, when it's not him it's Magnay.

I keep reading comments that it’s about time we had a big clear out...yet only three players started today that were here last season?

Echoing what PJ says, it’s more about who we bring in. We know too many players are not consistent enough, which makes it important to bring the right kind of characters in. The kind who will help drag other players standards up and not afraid to have a go at senior players if needed. Personally I think Raynes or someone like him would be a good start and make a big difference to the back 4.

Loach is a brilliant shot stopper, the issue is coming for crosses and managing his area, he has been superb the last few weeks, I do however wonder what a goalkeeping coach does as the areas of weakness haven`t really improved.

Measured , you are giving them more credit than they deserve, on the whole most footballers and ex footballers tend not to be mensa candidates and yes i`m generalising but you`ve seen them interviewed etc, unless they are listening to `How to improve my IQ` on the oversized headphones?

What worries me is when a relatively new player has such an awful game, how many times was he watched prior to signing him?,you don`t get that bad in 2 months

A brilliant shot stopper who commands his area possibly isn’t going to be playing in the National League? The first part is probably why he was identified as one of the top goalkeeping prospects in the country as a young lad, the second part is probably why he didn’t have a prolonged career at that sort of level and I imagine he’s worked under some pretty good coaches at times.

Any player can have a bad game they are human.

Gateshead supporters who have seen a lot more of him than us seemed to speak highly of him.

Also Hignett has an eye for a player and had forgotten more about the game than you know. I am not offended I have just noticed a trait of a number of years where you single out one player, to play as badly as Pools seemingly did today takes more than one individual having a nightmare. I am sure he will be more measured in his recruitment and retained list than the reactionary fallout from fans after an awful display.

How do you know Hignett knows more than me? If you saw that mess today you would not assume that!

Because I chose to stay in school and learn how to read and write and get 2 cse`s doesn`t make him more knowledgeable, just unlucky

Loach is about value for money for me. He has his limitations but yes I understand he is at this level for that reason. But if he is on a league wage then IMO we need to look elsewhere.

Going back to Higgys comments about potentially looking at a mix of full and part-timers then a keeper would be an obvious one to consider. If we could get a top part-time keeper from the North East and make a big saving then it’s a no-brainier for me. Keepers tend to train separately to outfield players in the main anyway so it’s certainly something they should consider.

It's the same case with a lot of players we sign. Kerr was getting rave reviews from gateshead fans,some saying he's the best centre half in the league,he signs for pools and looks lost. When we signed noble in the summer I was over the moon,a top player at this level that any club would have taken,but...he signs for pools and he looks a poor and incredibly slow player. Is it something to do with the clubs training? Managers? Players feeling to comfortable and not putting the effort in? .I really don't know,we change managers and players but nothing seems to make a difference.

Just a thought, but Featherstone was (arguably) MoM on Friday. Maybe this game came too soon for his level of fitness?

Maybe with Kerr he helped by having Mike Williamson next to him? Maybe he is the kind of player who would benefit from experience next to him.

Noble is a strange one. I thought he would be the kind of bite we had needed in midfield for years, but has not delivered as expected, especially the second half of the season.

I'd get raynes back to play along side Kerr, edgar just looks like he's going through the motions. Raynes is a talker and organiser,exactly what we need at centre half.

In that case maybe professional football is too high for his level of fitness?

Luke James has got a year left on his contract - he confirmed that in an interview this morning.There'll be a few others that do too - I wouldn't be surprised if Noble and Kitching got two year deals to persuade them to come here. And there's no way Pools paid a fee for Kerr on less than an 18 month contract, so he'll be here next season too.

For me, James and Kerr staying is good news. They'd look the part with the right players alongside them.

Kabamba might get a deal offered, even though he doesn't score enough goals. Think we've seen the last of Nico Muir.

Edgar will be on his way at the end of the season and we definitely need a quality centre back in - but Raynes is too much of a risk. After Bates, Magnay and Davies the last thing Pools need is another ageing centre back to spend half the season on the treatment table.

Mellish would do me if Hignett can get him (which I doubt). Luke Molyneux is another one who, I'm sorry to say, will get better offers and sign for an EFL club.

I'd keep Kioso, Hawkes (unless the money's right to sell him), Loach, Holohan and Donaldson and go all out for a goalscorer, a centre-back, a ball-winning midfielder and a proper left back - before I forget what one looks like!

I don't raynes has a particularly bad injury record just unfortunately got injured here. If not him someone like him.

He doesn’t over 450 career appearances, and he’s only 31.

Luke James has got a year left on his contract - he confirmed that in an interview this morning.There'll be a few others that do too - I wouldn't be surprised if Noble and Kitching got two year deals to persuade them to come here. And there's no way Pools paid a fee for Kerr on less than an 18 month contract, so he'll be here next season too.

For me, James and Kerr staying is good news. They'd look the part with the right players alongside them.

Kabamba might get a deal offered, even though he doesn't score enough goals. Think we've seen the last of Nico Muir.

Edgar will be on his way at the end of the season and we definitely need a quality centre back in - but Raynes is too much of a risk. After Bates, Magnay and Davies the last thing Pools need is another ageing centre back to spend half the season on the treatment table.

Mellish would do me if Hignett can get him (which I doubt). Luke Molyneux is another one who, I'm sorry to say, will get better offers and sign for an EFL club.

I'd keep Kioso, Hawkes (unless the money's right to sell him), Loach, Holohan and Donaldson and go all out for a goalscorer, a centre-back, a ball-winning midfielder and a proper left back - before I forget what one looks like![/quote]

Did you see yesterdays game?

Carl Magnay has been with Pools for 4 full seasons (since 2015-16) and has started only 105 league games in that time - barely 25 games a season.

Over the same 4 seasons Michael Raynes has started 110 games. This season he's appeared 9 times in total for Crewe and Hartlepool, including a FL Trophy match. Nobody has a crystal ball but you'd have to say that signing another player who hasn't even made it back onto the bench in an injury blighted season is about on a par with giving Magnay a new contract.

Given that it looks like Pools will be taking a chance with Williams and Cunningham for next season - and they at least have youth on their side - I'd be looking elsewhere for a new centre back.

No, couldn't find my chainmail, but I've seen 20-25 games this season. What's your point? Did Blackford play well?

No, couldn't find my chainmail, but I've seen 20-25 games this season. What's your point? Did Blackford play well?[/quote]

If you can see a decent player in Kerr then the pickle you have for eyes need checking out, Laing the second and yes quote me on this next season.

I'm sure Jack played well as he is actually a good player.

So a player who's played one league game and been rejected by numerous league clubs is good yet a player who had played most games for 2 different national league sides this season is shite. You couldn't make it up, but you could comfortably fit it on a postage stamp.

Oi PoolieCraig, you couldn`t locate a 10lb clit on a 5lb pussy!

Iv seen Kerr have a brilliant game (a home game, cant remember who against) and iv seen him have a poor game (Barrow) and a few games somewhere inbetween.

I will reserve judgment till he has had a string of games with a settled partner/side.

If only he was a family friend and close neighbour of Monkeybutt he’d be getting touted for the ballon d’or not being written off as shite for having one bad game.

Have you seen them models that wear them 9 inch platforms and wobble like billyo down a catwalk?

I think he was wearing a pair yesterday, I shit you not, if your going to wear bright red boots, at least be able to stand up and be counted.

I1ll leave him alone now as my anger has worn off from 8 hours wasted.

there will be hundreds of players who will be looking for new clubs at the end of the season. the problem is money again. do not want a situation where players are released and the replacements actually being worse than the ones that have gone. its hard to make a case for magnay and featherstone though.

These players seem to have no idea how close to the edge of the professional football cliff they are. Some of them are practically flinging themselves off. The ones who've under performed all season or downed tools recently are probably arrogant or ignorant enough to think they can just stroll into a better club or league - which might be the case with some of them sadly.

'Downed tools' - an interesting assertion. I think I agree but can you clarify who and why?

Agree.
But I will cut Higgy a bit of slack.
He's our 3rd manager this season.

He has the chance to bin the majority of these wage burglars next week.
Its up to Higgy now to recruit players who will give 100% all game every game.
If he wants to make it as a manager then he's got to show a Ruthless streak.

Judging by the Barrow game I reckon the shite got told last week.

That crossed my mind as well. He says not, but it didn't sound like anyone was playing for a contract yesterday! Maybe the ones who got new offers played in flip flops?

I don't envy Higgys task as it bound to draw criticism as no one seems to agree on who to retain.
Hopefully we will get the catering and potholes behind the MIll House sorted first though.

Fuck me, I've said it before, your patter fucking honks worse than Sussex on a hot day

I'd release...
Richardson
Magnay
Kitching
Featherstone
Hawkins
McLaughlin
Newton
Cassidy
Muir


Not bothered about
Loach
Noble
Anderson
Edgar

Out of the loanees and signings we made til the end of the season I'd keep Holohan and try to sign Molyneux & Kabamba

Fuck me, I've said it before, your patter fucking honks worse than Sussex on a hot day[/quote]

Thanks, would you like a signed `I love Butt` T-shirt?

Thanks, would you like a signed `I love Butt` T-shirt?[/quote]

Is XXL available? In Blue'n'white?

According to the Mail yesterday Noble is only on a 1 year deal. Not sure his style of play is a luxury Pools can afford in this league, but if Hawkes gets a move away who else is going to take the penalties?

Loach's weaknesses have been rightly identified as commanding his area and catching crosses, but to suggest that he's the best we're gonna get in this league is shortsighted bollocks. There's plenty of opposition keepers that have played against us this season that have been able to do that.


Mind you our forwards have been so piss poor that they've hardly put any pressure on opposition keepers.

If you have a goalie who doesn't command his area, no matter how many brilliant saves he makes your always going to struggle. How many of our players would make it into a top 4 team should be the basis of our retained list. The only way we are going to improve next year is to stop giving average to poor players contracts year in year out.

Good post.

Regarding the strikers we started the season under Bates with no wingers or natural width at all. I dont know the exact stats but in general I would expect a big chunk of goals come from crosses and we simply werent getting any in (and when we were it was usually from Muir or James going wide for the ball and then obviously theres a striker less in the box) Having the 3 behind Kabamba under Hignett helps as Molyneaux/James/Donaldson are adding some width and were getting more crosses in from open play but then James and Molyneaux arent exactly what id call naturally wide players either.

If were going to stick to the 4-2-3-1 formation then for me the "2" shouldnt be difficult to find, the "3" will be the creative players tasked with setting the strikers up and the better ball skills etc (the kind of players Hignetts favours) , the "2" simply have to have some energy, be able to tackle and play a simple pass. They dont have to be excellent passers, have brilliant technique or anything like that in my opinion.

ps iv not seen Bale yet but could he be one of them?

When is it out?

Remember the good old days under Uncle Ken when the retained list seemed to come out in early September.

Paddy Macs gone to York.
Good