I would guess that the head of recruitment recommended Cooke, Mayonese, McDonald, Lacey & Umerah. After McDonald's third or fourth failed step over, either Young or Hartley shouted 'get him off' before promptly hooking him. I'd guess these 'recommendations' won't be given quite the leeway that Hastie has had - who continues to show flashes of brilliance - but in the main, looks poor. Hartley's picks - Ndjoli, Patterson, Tumilty, Sena especially - will spend most the season on the bench.

It was 50/50 for the first half, although Bradford probably never got out of second gear. I thought we looked unfit & out of ideas from around the hour mark. Lots of backward passes & Bradford players easily running beyond ours. A hopeful lump forward to the impressive Umerah was about the sum of the approach.

I said coming in to this season that our recruitment approach stood off a mile vs the others in the division. I also said the division would be stronger this year and Bradford are just one example of that - they looked far and away better than they did last year. The EFL pundits/bookies/experts have got us spot on so far, we're half way to 10 which was when Hartley said we could start to worry. Orient next week looks like the worst possible next game.

The fact Bradford brought Harratt, Young & Songo on shows their strength in depth - we simply cannot live with that. Harratt and Young both looked great when they came on. Not one Pools player would get in that Bradford side aside from Sterry - so some perspective needed in relation to today's game.

Thats now 1 win from last 18.
2 goals scored from last 9 home games.


I dont see a promotion budget/squad.

More like last seasons Scunny

Both wastie and McDonald look like players signed on the back of a YouTube video, hopefully Hartley can coach sense into them

That was rank bad today, especially the second half. Honestly can't remember the last time I saw a side lose so many second balls, their no11 Gillead was picking everything up, he was quality. We can't continue with a midfield like that, feaths (who was shocking today) and Sylla can't play together, two midfield players who can't pass forward, what's the point!? Sylla does a job breaking up play and keeping it simple so we need 2 willing runners around him to break forward. Probably time Feaths was left out now, he's just too slow on and without the ball. Cooke was decent first half but drifted out the game. Wide players were shocking today, obviously they were told to stay out wide but when they did get the ball their quality was rank. Hastie looks unfit and McDonald looks lost when he gets the ball as if he doesn't know what to do with it. Feel sorry for umerah, runs all game and puts himself about but he's getting no help from anyone, can't see him scoring many as it stands. Unless some real proven quality is brought in its going to be a very very long season.

Whilst we should just focus on ourselves of course and the results have been disappointing, it is nice to see Stockport and Crawley down there with us...for now.

Evening/Morning everyone, I would just like to check in regarding our game today and also reflect on both our clubs season ambitions. Firstly I'd like to point out as the poster above mentions our squad,/budget for thkis level is ridiculous, we have a huge squad on paper of which should all be high end L2+ players, but finding the right mix is proving tricky. Don't judge your season on today, having watched the game you have more than enough to hold your own, even more so when Cooke settles in as he is a great player if you can surround him with what he needs. Good luck for the rest of the season, I'm always rooting for our Northern bros.

We would be a far better side if we could have Gillead and cook off you please!

That's actually quite an interesting quote, I personally rate both them players, but they are both regularly subject to much abuse across our fan base for imo absolute nonsence reasons.

I can’t go now, but it takes a Bradford supporter to put it into it’s true context who’s comments support the commentators views on the radio I had to listen to.
A man sees what he wants to see to suit his agenda.

double agent.."We have signed players on Hartleys word who aren't good enough.Why when we have a head of recruitment I'm not sure"

....only one of "hartleys heroes" in the first eleven yesterday..you must have noticed surely?...our head of recruitment?...wonder how much of his time is spent round at his mates house eh?....data analysis...its all the rage..

https://untypicalboro.wordpress.com/201 ... nt-page-1/
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/chris-trotter-b30185157
https://www.hartlepoolunited.co.uk/news ... cruitment/

When Poolie1 is being negative you know it’s bad. I’d imagine my pre-season posts would now look rather accurate, despite the berating I’ve got. *expecting to be called one of… dogbreath, dogshit etc etc in his next abusive post*

Listening to the match does not give you the full picture either, we were tosh and there’s deep rooted issues in - not only Paul Hartley’s team selection, but the next man’s - now. I tried and tried to tell you to let the football do the talking before blowing smoke up arses. Recruitment - abysmal.

In true Poolie1 style….

https://youtu.be/Uz1Jwyxd4tE

In the post-match interview Hartley is, quite rightly, not impressed by Chandy's statement that the transfer window closes this week

Hartley has missed out on his 3 key targets. Genuinely believe we’ll look back and laugh at this tenure - although it’s probably not his fault. Hope I’m wrong. Barrow are doing just fine, Pete Wild, another one who turned us down - twice!

did not go so i cannot comment on the game, only the result. certainly need a few bodies into the cltub in the next couple of weeks as waiting till january may be too late. the team need a win if only for confidence. has PH underestimated lg.2 with his recruitment or expected better out of some. its funny how those well paid lads at stockport are not sitting pretty at the top so is challinor also having problems getting a team together out of individuals.f

dogballs.."When Poolie1 is being negative you know it’s bad."

..as usual missing the point yet again..have always been negative on geek boy..should have been shown the door with his bonehead mate imo...but anyways the important lesson from yesterday is obviously at the end of the game there were yet again no fist pumps for the lads from hartley....ffs ...talk about creating a "seige mentality"...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwoG81JlqFU

wanted pete wild as or manager but could have caused another challinor situation in the future. as far as i know he is based in lancashire and barrow train there not in barrow itself. some of his signings have been from his area also so with everything at barrow they seem a better fit for him.

tyne..."In the post-match interview Hartley is, quite rightly,not impressed by Chandy's statement that the transfer window closes this week"

..the snarl on hartleys face said it all....

accy.."certainly need a few bodies into the cltub in the next couple of weeks"

...we have 19 players excluding keepers and under 20's.....efl rules say the limit is 20... or is 22?... dunno....whatever we need a keeper, central defender,attacking midfielder and a striker...expect some outgoings over the next 10 days..shelton would be top of my list..

No one can listen to the match, they listen to the comments of the commentators and I respect Eddie Kyles comments.
Here we go, you said this and you said that and don’t you just love it when in your eyes it goes tits up and you can say I told you so. Ego all is ego.
You were flouncing off the board a couple of weeks ago never, ever to return, like a diva who’d lost her make up bag……is the this the longest goodbye in history…? Or will you be hanging about like a dockyard omelette hoping for even worse to gloat about.

think its 22 but under 21,s and keepers do not count in the squad numbers you can have. shelton would be top of my list also thats if he is prepared to move to a club that is obviously below where pools are. he would not be the first player in the game who has refused moves and just sits on there contracts till they expire.

snowy..."You were flouncing of the board a couple of weeks ago never, ever to return"

..and we all know what prompted that little tantrum from our doggie chum now don't we?... ...as for abuse i seem to remember being outed on here as an "utter gimp" by this poster...just how low can you sink eh...?

https://en-gb.facebook.com/pages/catego ... 310232298/

You’re like the sort of person who visits someone in hospital, depresses them at every visit by telling them you know about these things and diagnose the worst outcome possible…… and when they’ve had enough of you and get the nurses, security and a straight jacket to drag you out, you say “I hope I’m wrong!” just to cover yourself.

accy..."he would not be the first player in the game who has refused moves and just sits on there contracts till they expire."

..possibly...and finding a club that will take him might not be easy...some might be put off by his reputation...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61272506

The BigDog aint chairman or manager.
Ya pair of cyber bully bastads.

wherever he ends up he certainly not be allowed to give a help to those in the treatment room.

I don't think the manager appreciated how tough league 2 is and the players he has brought in will struggle. But his tactics are not helping, it all very well playing a target man up front but it doesn't work if he hasn't got any support feeding off him. Reminiscent of Marlon Hardwood stuck up front on his own

How is challenging the Ego bullying…explain.
By the way, if you’re going to refer to fellow poster’s as ‘ bastads’…please spell it correctly…but then isn’t that bullying on your part?

Our friend from Bradford re-quoted my post. I’d say it was a decent and considered report from the match - which adds value to the board for those who couldn’t attend the game. Like yourself Snowy.

I’ve found that you and poolie1 have both attacked my every post. Yes I considered no longer posting. But I won’t let the bullies win. I think I have more to offer a Hartlepool United forum as a season ticket holder than a bloke who listens to the match on the radio. So I will continue. Hopefully others see value in my posts.

We would be a far better side if we went for Pete wild as manager, rather than trying to scrimp around in the dog and duck leagues for managers and players

dogbreath..."Our friend from Bradford re-quoted my post."

...bragging about attending one away game costing him 120 notes and during the game made a ridiculous number of postings on here ....now claiming to be a season ticket holder and bragging about a post of his being retweeted by a bantam fan ...and even though he has been rumbled maintains he will continue to post despite the "bullying" as some sort of public service ..."hilarious and embarrassing in equal measure"

I listen to the radio and watch the away match’s online not by choice. It hurt’s not to be able to do something I’ve done nearly all my life and enjoyed. To have my 53 years (1969) of missing less than 10 matches dismissed by a windbag like you would hurt, if I valued your opinion, I don’t value you or your opinion.
You sell yourself to the board like some cheap suited double glazing salesman with ‘what you have to offer’ and you don’t even blush. If only I’d known I was in the presence of genius
You end your sermon sounding like some smarmy country Vicar with a congregation of three gullible yokels and a deaf cat
The Ego has landed.

We’ll lets see just what wisdom you have to offer Reverend. I await your next self righteous monologue with interest.

This type of back and forth isn't a good look for anybody involved. We are all passionate about the club at the end of the day and entitled to opinions. Nothing to get too personal about?

No, he actually corrected you.

know he was past it when pools signed him but the tactics used didn,t do him any favours whatsoever making him worse than he could have been.

Surely you telling as it is gets you into the RED ink club.

You’re a deep deep concern.

I should be.

Riiiiiiiiiight.

Drama Queen

Absolute nibble of the century this by the way. Love to see it!

I have orders to keep you chuntering. I always get the boring ones.

Wild didn't want to come here,the reasons are already on this thread.

Harewood couldn't be arsed.
When he could,as at Carlisle away,he was brilliant

There’s been a few Harewood’s down the years.

Fingers crossed