Plymouth striker Louis Rooney a great signing for Hartlepool United, says Peter Hartley

That was the declaration today from ex- Pools skipper Peter Hartley about the loan signing from Plymouth.

Rooney is at the Northern Gas & Power Stadium for the remainder of the season and Hartley says Pools have got themselves a gem in his former Argyle team-mate.

In fact, Hartley told SportMail he recommended Rooney to Pools and Pools to Rooney!

“I’ve played a few games over the years and sometimes you know after three or four training sessions if someone is going to be a player,” said the centre-half.

“When Rooners started training with the first team at Argyle I knew straight away, I had the same feeling at Pools with Luke James!

“After he signed his first pro contract, Rooners trained every day with us and he scored every day, inside and outside the box, tap-ins, everything.

“He had the knack of being in the right place at the right time – he’s a really good striker.

“Unfortunately for him, we had a load of good forwards and he’s not really had a chance.

“I spoke to him last week about Pools and told him it’s a great club and if he went there he’d play.

“The great thing about Rooners is that he plays with no fear and he gets stuck in.

“I know what the fans want at the Vic, they want a player who’ll work his socks off.

“Rooners will do that and he’s not scared to put his foot in.

“The thing with Pools is that there isn’t any real momentum at the moment.

“But you put a fearless young striker like him in and the goals start then that‘s sometimes all a team needs to take off.”

There was certainly tons of promise from the 20-year-old, who could easily have finished his debut with a hat-trick.

It was only his second League Two start – his first coming AGAINST Pools on the final day of last season when he scored twice on his Pilgrims debut.

“I had a text from him after Saturday,” said Hartley. “He was on cloud nine so I text back to say he now has too start scoring goals!

“I’d spoken to [Pools coach] Sam Collins a while back and said if he wasn’t getting a game he’d be worth a look.

“After he scored those two goals against Pools at the end of last season I hoped they might be interested.

“All the lad needed was a chance - play him and he won’t let you down.

“I know his ability and his character – you see some young footballers today who are more worried about how they look than how they pay.

“Rooners is a very good pro who lives for his football.”

Hartley, having skippered Plymouth at Wembley in the League Two promotion play-off final last May, is now in League One at Bristol Rovers.

Unfortunately, the 28-year-old is out injured after rupturing tendons in his foot.

“Things had been going well and I’s scored six goals so to get the injury was a kick in the teeth,” he said.

“Re-hab is going well, I get the protective boot off next Wednesday and I can start jogging again. I hope to be back in March.”