Ex-Gateshead midfielder Paddy McLaughlin reacts to Hartlepool United move

The Northern Irishman penned a deal at the club's East Durham College training base this morning and was immediately sent out on the training pitch.

The 27-year-old former Newcastle United trainee becomes Matthew Bates' fourth signing at Pools, following on from the addition of Niko Muir, Myles Anderson and Andrew Davies.

And McLaughlin knows Pools are too big a club for this level, but it's down to him and his new teammates to prove that.

"The struggles at this football club have been well documented in recent years," said McLaughlin.

"Hopefully that is all behind the club now and we can move on.

"I am very excited about the challenge. You can feel that this is a proper football club.

"I am itching to get going and I hope we can get this football club back to where it belongs.

"It is a big football club. I played at Victoria Park on New Year's Day and the atmosphere was excellent. From then I thought this is somewhere I want to play my football."