Duo out of Pools opener
JAMES Brown and Ritchie Humphreys will not feature in Hartlepool United's opening pre-season friendly tomorrow night.
Both Brown and Humphreys arrived with the rest of the Pools squad at the KNVB Dutch national training camp last night for the annual week-long tour of the Netherlands.
Chris Turner's men begin their pre-season campaign against Almere City tomorrow on the artificial pitch of the Stadium de Basis complex in Heiloo.
But director of sport Turner will not risk Brown on the surface after the 23-year-old's history of knee problems.
Brown will feature in Thursday's clash with FC Den Bosch, a team the striker has faced in two previous Pools Dutch tours, but club captain Humphreys has been ruled out of both games.
The 32-year-old received an injection in his leg prior to the players returning for pre-season training and will not be ready to feature in a match until next week's friendlies against South Shields (Tuesday, July 20) and Leeds (Saturday, July 24).
Turner said: "Ritchie has come with us and will continue his rehab out here.
"He won't play but he will be with us.
"I'm sure he'll be ready by the time we play Leeds."
He added: "It is an artificial pitch tomorrow but it is a good surface.
"There were no complaints from the players last year and I don't foresee there being any problems.
"But certain individuals like James Brown, who have had knee injuries, won't play until the second game."
FULL story in Monday's Mail
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Weather for Hartlepool
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Heavy sleet
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light sleet showers
Temperature: -0 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South
