Ex-Huddersfield Town goalkeeper has Hartlepool United first team dream

Mazfari has been out of contract since being released by Huddersfield Town – where he signed his first professional deal – at the end of last season.

The young goalkeeper featured regularly in the Northern League before moving to West Yorkshire in 2022.

The former England Schoolboy stopper spent a year in the Terriers’ academy, having also been loaned out to non-league side Tadcaster Albion where he unfortunately suffered a relegation.

But Mazfari has been handed an opportunity back in the North East with Hartlepool having worked with goalkeeping duo Pete Jameson and Joel Dixon over the last number of weeks in training, as well as competed for Hartlepool’s academy side at the start of the season.

And the youngster could not hide his delight after joining Pools on a permanent basis.

"It’s a really big achievement for me, especially at this time of my career after a difficult end of the season last season for me personally. So it’s really good and I’m happy to be here,” said Mazfari.

"It was difficult for me because it was my first relegation,” he added on his experience with Tadcaster.

"I joined a side who were on the up in terms of the team coming together nicely, but it was difficult for me because there were a lot of goals going past me and when we got relegated officially it hurt.

"But I’m happy to be here now, it’s really an honour.

"I’m back home in Middlesbrough so it’s nice, personally. I’ve been here for a few weeks and the keepers I’ve got around me are brilliant – probably the best in the league for me.

"It’s a really good club to be at and I couldn’t ask to be anywhere else.”

Mazfari is likely to take over the role of Patrick Boyes who departed for Fleetwood Town in the summer.

But having agreed a deal until the end of the 2023-24 campaign, Mazfari is hoping he can continue to progress as a goalkeeper and keep John Askey’s first choice options of Jameson and Dixon on their toes.

"I need to be able to support the keepers and make sure they’re always to the best of their ability because, at the end of the day, it’s all about the three points on a Saturday, so if they’re at the best of their ability it’ll make me improve, it’ll make them improve and it’ll be a much better situation for the club,” he said.

"I need to make sure I can continue getting some minutes under my belt with the 19s and just keep making sure the keepers are always sharp.

"It’s been good [playing for the academy],” he added.

"It’s been a long time since I've played football in terms of a match since I came here – maybe April. So it’s good to get minutes under my belt, which is needed.

"If I want to be able to fill in any time for the keepers in the first team I have to be ready, I have to be sharp, so the minutes are helpful.”