Got my first look at Pools pre-season tonight - mostly familiar faces as Sterry, Odusina, Liddle, Ferguson, Shelton, Featherstone, Holohan and Molyneux all started the game and the only second half change was Fela for Holohan.

The other 3 new signings were left out completely and instead 3 trialists played the full 90 minutes. One was the keeper from Torquay, plus a fair haired No. 6 in the back three (the keeper called him John) and a dark haired No.9. No sign of Mark Cullen. The No. 6 was the pick of them - quite mobile and confident on the ball. The keeper looked OK, the centre forward worked hard all game without getting a sniff of goal. The same goes for Fela when he came on.

Pools went behind early on, then knocked the ball around well for the rest of the half and created a few chances. For a while it looked as if going back to the tried and trusted was going to pay off.

But Pools lost their way big time 20 minutes into the second half. Some heads visibly dropped, most obviously Ferguson, which was a bit stupid as he was playing right in front of the main stand and the Pools dugout! To be honest he looks shot at the minute and a long way from ready for the start of the League Two campaign. Blyth's second goal was a one-on-one foot race that Gary Liddle was never going to win - again, alarm bells ringing a bit for August.

Can't score, too easily opened up by a quick counter attack. The Pools 5-3-2 isn't going to work without some much better signings - as Challinor said after the game. At least he didn't resign on the spot

The no9 was Caolan Lavery but no idea who no6 was. First goal was 5 yards offside but still a poor performance

Really poor, off the pace, no real threat up front etc etc.

I didn't mind the no.9 who worked hard with very little service but was underwhelmed by Fela when he came on.

Current squad would be mid table at best in National League and a long way from the team that got us promoted.

Forward positions most critical although it is unlikely that we will find or be able to afford anything like last seasons front to.

I will be amazed if we are not bottom two or three in August and can only hope Dave uses the loan market very well !

Anyway despite all my negativity we are back in the football league, at least for now, and the objective for me for this season is to survive and hold on to Dave C.

Both will be a challenge!

We had a terrific 11 last season with very little else in support. Subsequently lost a host of the gems from that 11 - Armstrong, Oates, Johnson, Cass... with very few incomings. No shocks for me - but can only hope we can recruit just as well as we did last season.

Totally trust DC to sort it out,its just gonna take longer than we hoped.

Glad we didnt play York in this Preseason they have had a blinder - moneys on them for promotion this season like.

Wimbledon like us have had a stinker also.

get some quality loan players in mid way through August - few home games with the fans behind us and DC might just still be a Poolie come X-Mas

I am starting to feel a bit down over the pre season results I feel as confident as I did when Craig Harrison was manager come on pools

I am starting to feel a bit down over the pre season results I feel as confident as I did when Craig Harrison was manager come on pools

I am starting to feel a bit down over the pre season results I feel as confident as I did when Craig Harrison was manager come on pools

Calm down. We weren't that great early doors last season either.

If someone offered me finishing 12th this season I'd rip their arm off.

anything above 23rd will do me. just staying up and pushing on from that would make me happy. think going down would be a bigger disaster for the club than it was last time.

this season is about survival - not assed if we draw our way through the first few months. A seasons worth of missed cash and some cup runs might see us with that silk purse afterall.

plus the EFL cash we are due in DC we trust

even if pools are knocked out in the first rounds of all cup competitions they,ll get more revenue out of them than they would have got by doing the same in the national league.

exactly - least this time there will be gate money from the cup games. Plus the fact we now play in more cups and the real chance of playing a big club with a big following should a home tie be made against them.

Another plus is the away end will be used by actual followings this season, rather than 4 random blokes from Eastleigh.

A successful season for me will be:

-survival
-doing the double over Harrogate
-Sir Dave in charge this time next year
-finding a shirt in my size in the club shop.

Would happily lose almost every other game just to do the double over Carlisle, Barrow, Newport, Harrogate, Mansfield and Bradford City.

In trying to remember did the legendary Willie waddle play in the same pools team as Niel warnock

You might get 3 rigbt

Mad John's website should be able to confirm, but I think that is a strong possibility

not enough points there though. double against the vegans, colchester and stevenage as well would see us safe.

Vegans and stevenage too, and Salford.

there are certainly more clubs next season than last who i,ll be upset if we do not get points off them. could not get excited about the weymouths and solihulls of that world. those that have been mentioned are a different proposition. sodding vegans on my 75th birthday at the vic. no better present than a complete hammering of the kale and quiche eaters please.