The Poolie Bunker

Can't see Merrick coming back. Like Cartwright last season.
Gibson should just tear his contract up and go. Obviously overweight and unfit. Hasn't even tried to get his fitness to a decent standard. Poor from someone is is supposed to be a professional footballer.
Hampson has played 4 games in nearly 3 years so another who should do the right thing and walk away. Will never play a game for Pools.
Fisher will never be trusted to be a first choice keeper here so what's the point. Should never have been signed in the first place.
Penman should get back to Brighton and look for another type of employment as he defo is not a footballer.
Hugill living on reputation from Great escape season. Looks shot and probs highest earner. If he thought anything about the club or the fans he would just retire.
We need 6 in so getting rid of this lot makes sense. Just don't let Beech pick any newcomers ... see above,

According to Liddle last week Merrick will be back soon

its not a job like we have were you get the sack eventually for being crap at your job. these misfits either have to have there contracts paid up to get rid as they can just tick all the right boxes regarding training and can hang on till there contracts run out. they can also refuse to go out on loan. no matter what we do its going to cost the club just to get rid unless they can afford better coming in. again we do not know the financial state of the club and what they can afford.

Agree with NP, Hugill is beginning to look like this season's Danny Johnson, as for the others mentioned I'm sure most clubs have players like that, the people who should be taking responsibility for their signings are the selectors within the club, they need to hold their hands up and be judged because a club like ours can't afford to carry 4 or 5 players throughout a season who basically contribute zero to the cause. Think Gibson has only got a game recently because we've had nobody else who can play central defense, it's damning that a club like ours hasn't got that strength in depth. Surely Darcy (in my book) would be ahead of someone like him, he's looked well overweight in pictures I've seen of him. The fact that people would select him to play knowing that is damning in itself.

If only it was that easy.
Questions should be asked of who decided to bring them in in the first place, you can’t blame the players, they’d have been mugs not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Everywhere that there seems to be a problem in our club the root cause always pings into focus. Sort that and we're on the way forward.

I think we all know who the culprits that brought in those players who are clearly out of their depth in the NL. Many of us have repeatedly asked the question on the Bunker (and many more in X') of exactly WHO wrecked our season in pre season.
As far as I'm aware there has been no confirmation of such, no fingers pointed at the probable perpetuaters and more worryingly nothing whatsoever from the owner.
The worst thing for me is the failure of the club to fulfil its side of the unofficial 'Contract' with the loyal fans who gladly pushed the proverbial boat out and bought season tickets, replica shirts/srrips and other merchandise, on the back of talk of getting Pools back into the EFL. OK so no-one at the club committed to achieving their goal during the 26-27 campaign but at no point was it suggested that we would be 'rewarded' with an early season battle to escape the relegation zone. As far as I know there has been no official explanation, no apology, not even a loose comment from anyone at the club to reveal what happened to allow the current situation to develop. What pissed me off at Saturday's game was the huge banner string up at the Rink End proudly proclaiming 'Poolies Matter'. No-one here could possibly argue with that statement but it was quickly apparent yet again during the game that there is something fundamentally wrong with the squad, regardless of the new Head Coach taking his position for the first time. 'Poolies Matter' is a noble stetment but I would suggest that 'Poolies Matter - But Not Very Much' would be more appropriate at present.

Regardless of this shit start, no one can guarantee success in this league even with a bright start, most of the expectation has been self inflicted and expectation is the property of the hopeful dreamer.
This was never gonna be a walkover no matter how much we want something and the responsibility lays between the fans and the club…the fans have kept their side of the bargain…but the weak point wasn’t the owners but those in charge of launching this seasons assault which turned out to be a damp squib.
Let’s hope our new manager can pull something together out of the wreckage,

I think that NortenPoolie63's post at the top of this thread is absolutely spot on.

Thing is - you can't blame the washed up or chronically injured players for signing a contract that'll keep them safe and warm for another season or two. They're a bit like leeches really - which isn't ideal when the club you love has a limited budget and high aspirations.

You can however blame the complete spanners that signed them. I mean for heavens sake - just google Owen Hampson. Were they drunk? WTF?

I'm sure he said it's an 8 weeks job to improve this squad which suggests we got a bit more of ground to make up on the 20th team.
Possibly the Great Escape part 2!

It’s like we employed a group of 12 year olds with no interest in football to scour the internet and pick us a team of winners……..oh dear.

For clarification the "Poolies Matter" stuff was all about an initiative by a local mental health support group.
Quite apt really, as we must all have been affected after years of supporting Pools.

Reading up Hampson sustained his hamstring injury during his last months at Sheffield, it looks like he could be out untill the New Year, who ever did the medical needs to be brought to account. A player on a years contract and hasn’t kicked a ball in the first 6 months of it.

Where's McKeown too?
It does seem that we have an extraordinary record in players getting injured in training, and what initially appear to be minor injuries turn into much longer term ones. Plastic trading facilities possibly influences the first, a gypsy curse on the "magic sponge" the latter?

would not mind if he was a top regular championship player who we took a gamble on at the outset. not some bread and butter type where there would be a number of similar alternatives around. we always seem to start every season with one out for the forseable future.

Great at slagging off players without stating the actual truth.
If you read Danny The physio update on injuries, Hampson got injured when he first came to Pools, made a recovery, but suffered a recurrence when training.
Do you really think footballers want to be injured, it must be heartbreaking to come in every day knowing you can’t train with your mates.

If you track his injury record, he was injured at Sheffield U, do a bit of googling re Hampson injury,
Before his departure from the Blades, the 21-year-old midfielder sustained a hamstring injury late in the season.
The first thing Pools should have done is have had serious look maybe even better a scan on his hamsttring to see if it had healed 100%. I am not a physio but there must been a weakness in his hamstring for it to go so soon after signing for Pools.

I'm sure Clark mentioned somewhere along the line that Hampson was struggling with an injury that stemmed from last season.
A bit of a Google suggests he's played 15 games since 2022/23 which if true should have started alarm bells ringing. At least he's won't be on massive money.