Are Hartlepool United being left behind in the transfer market following Gillingham defeat?

Hartlepool felt the wrath of what significant investment can do at the Priestfield as Gillingham earned just their third win of the season courtesy of a number of standout performances from their January recruits.

The Gills were the subject of a successful takeover last month with American businessman Brad Galinson wasting little time in making a fist of things by bringing in a number of key additions such as Ollie Hawkins, Tom Nichols and Timothee Dieng.

And one of those additions in Nichols was the star of the show as he grabbed a goal and an assist on his debut to condemn Hartlepool to a significant, demoralising, defeat at the bottom of League Two.

But asked whether or not his side are potentially being left behind by their rivals in the transfer window, Curle admits Pools may not be first choice for some players but there remains value for money in the market.

“I understand this window, I know how it works,” said Curle.

“This is not being disrespectful, and it’s a conversation I’ve had with the chairman as well, but we will potentially not be a lot of peoples’ first choice. Whether that’s location, whether that’s finances or whether that’s where we are in the league.

“But I’ve still got to get the right people to come to this football club.”

Curle added to The Mail: “Would we have been able to compete to get Ollie Hawkins here?

“Financially, yeah. Would he have come here? No. And that’s not being disrespectful to us or in no way saying he didn’t favour us.

“You hear some of the rumours that are being thrown around about some of the monies that are being offered to players. I still insist that there’s value players out there - we may have to wait to get the right one.

“Likewise, other football clubs will be signing players and there’ll be a knock-on effect later on in the window when certain players realise they were starting two weeks ago and now they’re not starting.

“They know for the longevity of their career they need to have game time rather than sitting in the stands watching other people play. So there is a knock-on effect that we’re ready for as well.

“Getting closer to the end of the window there’s more of a domino effect - they start falling quicker.”

Curle revealed after the defeat to Gillingham the club has missed out on two potential new arrivals ahead of the trip to the Priestfield while they remain in negotiations for three more but again concedes they may have to wait until a final decision is made.

Curle said: “It’s not about trying to buy our way out of trouble. We’re not going to be able to attract players just yet. It might be another week, eight, nine days before we get a final decision.

“We’re in conversations with people that are in other conversations with other football clubs as well. But I'm a good salesman and I've got a reputation that I get the best out of people.”