Jonathan Franks hopeful someone will buy into the Hartlepool United dream

Pools have been put up for sale by their current owners, with chief executive Pam Duxbury working hard behind scenes to find outside investment to take the club forward, or to find a buyer willing to take on the day-to-day running at Victoria Park.

While it might prove difficult to convince those on the outside looking in to invest, Franks, in his second spell with the club, can vouch for the untapped potential at Pools at present.

“This is a massive club,” said Franks.

“When you look at the crowds we get, the support in the town and the away support – like what we had at Gateshead – that is what anyone willing to invest could be buying into.

“This club has a lot to offer, despite all the negative things that people have seen here over the last 12 months.

“But all we can do, as players, is concentrate on what we do on the pitch. That way it helps to shine the club in as positive a light as possible.”

Pools head to Chester tomorrow looking to record their first win in five weeks.

But they come off the back of probably their most positive results of that sequence, on Boxing Day, when, despite being a goal down and a man down, Craig Harrison’s men rescued a much-needed festive boost with a 2-2 draw at Gateshead’s International Stadium.

The character shown that day was worth much more than a point to Pools. Not only did it stop the rot, it also proved their many doubters wrong, after a home capitulation just three days earlier against Maidenhead United.

“We know that we are not that far away from where we want to be,” said former Middlesbrough and Ross County man Franks.

“On Boxing Day, we showed the fight and character we have in the dressing room.

“All we have to do now is make sure we reproduce that every week.

“And it is also key that we keep 11 men on the pitch this time. If we do that, and keep working hard, we can get to where we want to be.”

Reflecting on the nerve-jangling Heed result, Franks is just hoping that tomorrow’s game does not bring so much controversy – especially when it comes to refereeing decisions.

“One of the lads in the dressing room said he thought the referee had just got a new whistle for Christmas,” joked Franks. “We don’t want the same again on Saturday.

“We go to Chester knowing we can get three points. Our performance against Gateshead gives us some confidence.

“Then, after that, we have Gateshead again and a chance to put things right.

“A couple of wins in a row would get us right back where we want to be.

“Some people might think we are out of touch, but we do not believe that.

“All it will take is a positive run and we can be talking about the play-offs again.”