Hartlepool United striker vows to continue to give his all for Pools cause

The Pools frontman has been in fine form of late, netting twice in his last three games.

But it is the Irishman’s work without the ball this season, in which he has netted nine times, that has made him stand out from the crowd.

Amond chases every ball up top, never giving opposition defenders a minute’s peace, although he is reluctant to take credit for it.

Ahead of this weekend’s lengthy trip to Crawley Town, the 28-year-old frontman says workrate is something a footballer should never be praised for.

He’d rather take the plaudits for what he does in front of goal.

“People get credit for their workrate, but I have never understood that,” Amond said.

“I have always worked hard up front and run for everything.

“Whether things are going well or not I will continue to do that for this football club. It is something I have done my whole career.

“For me, that has always been a given for a professional footballer.

“A postman doesn’t get credit for emptying his postbag every day.

“He doesn’t get credit because that is his job. Plain and simple.”

The work ethic of Amond probably comes from how hard he has had to work to get where he is today.

After leaving Sligo Rovers in his homeland, Amond went to prove himself abroad in Portugal with Pacos Ferreira, which to this day remain the only former senior team he has not netted for.

Accrington was his next port of call, then Morecambe, then a drop out of the Football League with Grimsby Town, before getting his chance to shine back in the league with Pools.

He has never lost sight of how hard he has worked to succeed.

Nor has he ever forgotten how privileged a life he leads in the professional game.

Amond said: “Our job as footballers is to work as hard as we can, on and off the field.

“We are privileged.

“We do a job that many people would want to do, only a select few get the chance to do that.

“Of all the people who live in England, many will want to be footballers. We get to do what every fan wants to do, day-in, day-out.

“Whether things are going well or badly I will run for the cause.

“That should be the same for every player.”

At the Broadfield Stadium Amond is again expected to start up top with club captain Billy Paynter, with the pair forming a decent partnership in recent weeks in a revamped 3-5-2 formation.