So the quite nice weather we've had in Greater Manchester the last week, sort of ends tomorrow.
Hopefully it will just be cloudy with no rain.
Last time I went to Spotland it was for a Rugby League game, and went in the Ratcliffe Bar which is situated in the stadium car park.
I know it's a meaningless game, but I'm looking forward to it.
Many Poolies going ?

after bradford its the nearest ground for me. however after friday i,m going to give it a miss as i cannot sit through another 90 minutes of total boredom with less action than i have in the bedroom nowadays. i,ll decide near ko if i do ifollow or not.

Rochdale 1 Pools 2 OG, Bogle Poolies 390

Lots of hard work and endeavour from Pools in the first half, impressive. No Graeme Lee there today, he’s got Covid, so Nelson is getting a good shift out of them.

Pools have not come out 2nd half, all Rochdale, Pools have no leaders in the middle and cannot keep the ball.

Get Mols on

Goal Dale, was only a matter of time, we have been on back foot all 2nd half so far.

Words are superfluous…for fucks sake…whoever Mr Fuck is.

Never turned up second half

Absolutely awful, I've not seen a worse half in a long time. Pools were dire in the 2nd half. Sloppy ball from mols and Dales very immobile skipper goes half the pitch unchallenged and puts it in from 25yds out, feckin awful. 646 away Poolies fair play to you, you deserved better.

90+4 winner for them.
Dear mother of god!

Absolute garbage 646 poolies travelled to watch that.

Bogle is so lazy.
Carver at least he tries.

Central defender runs from their box and smacks into the bottom corner.

Got exactly what we deserved. First half in control without causing their goalkeeper much trouble. Loads of corners but what good are they to Pools. Second half just weren’t at the races. Whos bothered wether any of these don’t renew contracts.

It's such a disappointing end to what was a good season. A positive finish could have set us up nicely for next year but most the players just look like they want it over. I know some players have had a long slog without a break etc but we just look miles off it. Penny pinching towards the end of the season meaning a few injuries and we have limited options. Holohan would get in our midfield no bother and angol left for game time yet has never played a minute for Stockport. It's really put a downer on what was a good season. Doesn't exactly entice fans to part with season ticket money.

bryn morris....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFLagfhelzw

Quite frankly an awful second half.

We’re begging for players to stay who clearly cannot be arsed. Holohan walks into that midfield. Fletcher and Morris can’t lace his boots… simple as that!!!

Oh and Crawley announce ten new contracts. We have 7 or 8 very good footballers for the level. Fucking sign them please!! The reason they can’t be arsed is because they have agreed better elsewhere…

The two forwards we have now can't lace the boots of the players we had in the conference. It worries me to think that these two are our star signings.

Getting rid of holohan was a joke, ok if we had better but we don't. Was it penny pinching? Or just a ridiculous decision?

Don't think the managerial duo can get through this without blame though, where's the motivation will to win gone?

Shocking second half performance, only one team wanted it today and it wasn't us. This squad is far weaker than it was before Lee took over, ridiculous transfer dealings have left us with no flair, no goal scorers and a pedestrian midfield. Those two upfront today were a disgrace, one not good enough and one not arsed to put the effort in, and both Lee's signings. Hopefully Raj will realise, before it's too late, that he made a huge blunder with this managerial appointment.

1st half was so comfortable for Pools even though we only came close once to making it 2-0, but 2nd 45 was a complete turnaround and more. Nothing wrong with their initial 2nd goal that got chalked off, and we deserved to lose it by 4 or 5-0. Their goalie could have sat in the stand behind him after HT as we only got near their goal in the 95th minute.

I find it ironic that all the way through our good spell that no one even mentioned the non playing Holohan, now he’s gone he was the keystone we missed. He’s been turned into the icon that never was.
We’re playing shite, lazy shite, simple as that.

The winner is worse when you watch it back. Strolls through, not one player steps out to meet him. Players jogging back as the attack unfolds. Nowt to play for, but still…

dog...."The winner is worse when you watch it back. Strolls through, not one player steps out to meet him"

from 01.33...fletch at fault.....last minute... needed to "take one for the team"....comes into contact ...but lets him go ....much much too "nice"...and what the fk is shelts doing after that...running away from him?

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/s ... hartlepool

they have something to play for, its called their own pride even if they have none for the shirt.

If we bring it down to crude basics, it’s MAKE AN EFFORT!!!!!! you’re getting paid to play.

Shocking second goal.

That second goal is unacceptable at any level. Four players all going towards one player and if liddle stepped out instead of backing off he could have prevented that.

Im concerned about our Goalkeeper problem in that he only gets dropped when injured then comes straight back into the side irrespective of how the loanie has performed.
Surely Lee dosent rate him enuf to make him no1 choice for next season.
Would off thought with Lee being a defender improving the backline would be priority.
God help us if we lose Sterry n Fergy n keep Killip.
Maybe im over concerned and we hold on to our better players to build a decent team around.
Guess its just a case of wait n see.
UTP.

the young keeper had a decent game against vale so why not play him in the next game even if killip was the devisions top keeper. same for any other lad who comes in for the odd game who performs well in it. the old saying of being as good as your last game is still true in todays world.

totally agree - seems Killip wants away too. Wouldnt have his half assed mood anywhere near the team tbh.

we have badgered on for the last year about our keeper situation - i can only see it changing if Killip does indeed walk. The lad we were linked with from Bradford in Jan is out of contract this summer so wonder if we go back in for him ? dont think hes played a minutes football since.

We are on the cusp of loosing our defence aswell by the sounds of things and Nelsons comments post Rochdale didnt sound good either.

Mols was spotted in a lounge/corporate jobby at Man Utd with Raj - hopefully that was a nice little sweetner day out to get him to pen a new deal (who knows), but i highly doubt he was there to lace Ronnies boots.

interesting few weeks ahead - unfortunately whilst players have their 2 weeks off and that whole silent period falls across many clubs just after the last game of the season, i doubt we will hear so much as a mouses fart from the Vic. Hopefully the new recruitment guy is in before June and he can start making some moves for players - we have the advantage this season of potentially extra cash and time to sign any decent out of contract lads.

at this time of the season players will have a good idea who they,ll be playing for next season unless they are still in the lookout for another club. even pools might have verbally agreed to sign someone, but its obvious they,ll not be unvailed till the season is over.

The warning signs are already there for next season. We look desperately short now and with at least two players rumoured to be off, I think we all should be a little worried. Our go to replacements are young kids on loan will that that change next season? I highly doubt it. We had an opportunity back in the transfer window to improve, fans were taken in by the fact we paid 10 k for national league north player and a lad Doncaster couldn't wait to get rid of.

I know some will say but we don't know who were signing and that's true but results have been dreadful in part since the last window, so someone somewhere has got to sign better players this time.

the number of fans taken in and how high their expectations where on a player in his late 20 was signed from a league two stages below us and a player who had hardly kicked a ball this season makes me wonder what the reaction would be if somehow pools did make a top unexpected signing that fans had seen and rated before from another club.

Killip is at best adequate, even average, doesn’t command his area, doesn’t appear to instill confidence in his defence and I really think this bizarre experiment has run it’s course.
I honestly don’t know what managers see in him, maybe it’s me

Said it back in June last season what an opportunity we had to build something here, this town, the fans are ready to back the club with any glimmer of hope. What did we do? We set out to survive. No club has ever been relegated in its first season, we saw this as success though, as soon as raj knew we were safe once again he cashed in.The back end of last season we had a fantastic team, exciting free flowing, a great non league manager, yet you just knew being the Hartlepool way we wouldn't take advantage. Cup runs have somehow kept the season alive and kept a lot of heat off raj.

With season ticket prices going up yet further I can't see the club bluffing it's way through another season by saying were competitive wages wise. Competitive to who Barrow? Scunthorpe? Not seen much proof we are competitive to anyone yet in this league when it comes to attracting or keeping players.

Totally agree. However, willing to give them the summer to convince me otherwise.

the fact is - you dont see other teams pushing for promotion or at least bettering their previous position in this league signing strikers from 2/3 leagues below - this isnt the NL where you might get 5/10 goals out of a journeyman pro or that lucky vardy type we hoped we had cashed in for. It just doesnt happen - Carver must have been banging them in at training to even warrant his recent starts (oh yeh we dont have anyone else hence why hes been starting). The Club has alot to answer for and make up for this summer, the funds should be there technically - But should we see the young loan lads from the Boro start pouring in and we end up with a reserve keeper from some sunday pub team then i think we all know where we stand and where we are heading ! Bit disgruntled by the way this season is going to end (same bitter pill to swallow loosing Oates and DC if we loose some of our key men tbh).
The rise in the cost of living - plus ticket price hikes - plus poor performances to end the season we will be lucky to see 4000 at the Vic come the start of the season. Need a few marquee signings - new GK of league quality - Mols tied down and Sterry a new contract !

everything is going up, but with months without live football fans will find money from stomewhere to turn up for the start of the season. its the summer recruitment and how the team performs that will decide if they stay with the team or drift away. would be great to get just one marquee signing where opposition fans ask how we managed to sign such a player. this could happen, but i think most expect an influx of boro kids along with a free transfers from barrow and oldham.

Spikes comments in todays Mail Sport article relate to the finances of the club and how we are still tied to what seems an inferior budget - i get that signing 1 overpriced player may unsettle a few/Warrant the need to keep spending big on bringing in other players but this is how most teams in this division eventually claw their way out - take one or 2 quality players, mixed with experience and some talented youth and up you go. Costs a few quid but eventually works out in the end (FGR - Lincoln for example). Sounds like we are tied to the same fate as last season.
unless that budget he is working too is now considerably larger (going off the comments it doesnt sound like it is). Hope Rajs new Villa on the Costa del sol has a hartlepool badge tiled into the bottom of his pool ...

the way things are going to pan out id be happy to take some of the better Oldham / Scunny rejects

Sometimes you wonder if the budget in general terms is an irrelevance, admittedly it plays a part, but it’s how you sell your club and your ambition to prospective players that’s equally important….you can’t tell me Cloughie couldn’t have got this lot motivated by hook or by crook. An uninspiring manager will always struggle to recruit and retain players even when they have money.
A massive spending splurge guarantees nothing, it closes the odds a bit but that’s about it, look at Derby as an extreme example, Premiership or bust…well the Chairman never went bust, just cost him 200 million apparently.
I still say the most important role is a manager who can manage, motivate and have players who want to play for him.

snowy...."An uninspiring manager will always struggle to recruit and retain players even when they have money.....I still say the most important role is a manager who can manage, motivate and have players who want to play for him."

...you re getting warmer ... uninspiring....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVn2tkxFOy4

...just not enjoyable...

I agree - there is an aspect of having that 'something about you' as a manager (Man utd under Fergie for example). Never quite been the same have they since he retired. All the money in china cant buy you what some managers just possess in their attributes and how they treat the players / club. The money we have made though needs to be accounted for and at least sign one or two players who can make us a better side next season.

DC for me has that and would still of had that today - its history and im over it, but id love to see another manager of his calibre walk through the door at Pools and have Spike has his No.2. Giving young managers opportunities etc is great - just not at a club like Pools. We are still too fragile i believe to be dicing with the unproven - from almost going bust to where we are now is an astonishing achievement and one i still think many young Pools fans relinquish the idea of. It really was that close to us loosing our beloved club.

The cash sounds like its tied up in keeping the club alive (im all for having a club to support over signing Messi) but it would be a nice to have if the club was more transparent with this and just tell us that we are in for a mediocre recruitment drive in the summer as we still getting back on our feet so to speak. Another season of surviving (hate to use that term) looks to be the way things may pan out.

The money situation is awkward for the club and the repayments, but. I swear some people are sat at home with a big old fashioned brash till ‘kerchinging’ away after every cup match or other money generating occasion and assuming rather naively it all goes in a big bucket marked ‘NEW PLAYERS’.
Sadly, it doesn’t pan out like that, so it’s a balancing act, between players and existing as a club for the time being.

But the crux of the matter is the appointment of a charismatic motivator, a manager you’ll follow through a minefield out of curiosity, someone who makes YOU want to be part of what he’s creating, money spent there can save a lot of money on players.

I’ll say it, I don’t jump in straight away, but assess the situation, but I am neither inspired nor motivated by Mr Lee. I see a rather casual approach to everything and the indifference of the ‘boot room’ mentality pervades everything….. a sort of lethargy, where success creates as little emotion as defeat, like a super tanker’s ‘brakes’ they’re agonisingly slow to respond.
Folk may disagree, but that’s my opinion.

Nail on the head Mr Snowy ! nail on the heeed !

I think it lies in the fact hes still under the guise of the U23 coach mindset - Nelsons role still baffles me to this day. We had Sweens... why have a No.2 with again zero experience and a bad record. It should of been Mr Lee as a No.2. Sweens and Nels still taking charge as first team coaches and doing what they do behind the scenes. Albeit i have hardly seen a change in the way our defence handles a dead ball situation considering we have 2 of the best defenders as coaches their day had seen at this level. So im in the same mindset as you and i think many others... we need that charismatic experienced Manager with contacts in the game. Big character to lift some of the younger lads off their asses and get hold of players who seem to think Pools is just a stepping stone in their career. Mark Hughes given time at Bradford will do just this and will get them promoted be it this season coming or the one after !

snowy....."I swear some people are sat at home with a big old fashioned brash till ‘kerchinging’ away after every cup match or other money generating occasion and assuming rather naively it all goes in a big bucket marked ‘NEW PLAYERS’."

...so very very true...naivety....a lot of it about on here on a regular basis...the money supply has been cut off....lack of ambition.....blah blah.... etc etc...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP6U5LBqA9A

People don’t grasp the simple fact that if you get the right manager you can get good performances out of bang average players by force of character. The club does not need to be signing players on for fees to prove a point.
I’ve watched Lee’s time at the club with a mix of resignation and boredom…..it’s like academy standards are being applied to a professional team, they are like chalk and cheese, surely this was something we had to be aware of by signing him up as manager and I don’t think anyone has actually noticed!
I see nothing to give me confidence for next season, simple as that, signings have been the good, the bad and the ugly and a annoying compulsion to sign players on loan ….. and never use them, why?
I feel as though we’re treading water in a car park puddle.

did craig harrison at least get one thing right ?...

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport ... ted-squad/

"FOOTBALL teams carry the imprint of their manager. Craig Harrison certainly thinks so.
His Hartlepool United side have adopted the traits of their boss; focused, determined and carrying a fierce will to win."

..noticed the coxall arse licker was on radio tees last night..talking about yet another "perfect fit".....

One other thing to add - since Lee' time as manager (not sure what goes on in training) but the half time Sub warm up is embarrassing and takes us back to sunday league level shit. It infuriates the life out of me when i see the kit man running down the line as the players are coming out to collect the small marker cones used at half time (i use the word used in the slightest of manner)not talking about the ones places infront of the tunnel either that they use to skip over just before they take position on the pitch.

Sweeney should be outside going through drills with the players etc... something DC had installed and now its lost. Just another thing that makes us look unprofessional - doesnt cost anything either. Again another small thing thats missed by inexperience.

I think that the life of Uriah Heep is the prism through which he sees the world of Pools.
The praise was laid on with a trowel.

Nearly all ambitious clubs who want decent forwards will have to pay a bit xtra in wages than the rest of the team.
Thats just the way it is for most clubs wage structures.
Surely this would work out ok for the rest of the team.
IE in a promotion bonus.
What will be will be.
UTP.