Former Blackpool and Huddersfield Town midfielder reflects on Hartlepool United spell

Former Hartlepool midfielder Beech was speaking prior to Pools’ National League fixture with AFC Fylde being called off, with Beech set to go up against his former employers in the dug-out having taken interim charge of the Coasters earlier this season.

Beech, 49, spent over two years with Hartlepool as a player after making his breakthrough with hometown club Blackpool in the early 1990’s.

The midfielder arrived in the North East in the summer of 1996 under Keith Houchen and went on to make over 100 appearances for the club during its time in the old Division Three, scoring 26 times.

Beech’s form saw him attract interest from Division One with the midfielder eventually joining Huddersfield Town for a transfer fee in 1999. The midfielder spent four years with the Terriers before moving onto Rochdale where he finished his playing career to move into coaching ahead of later taking over the managerial job at Brunton Park with Carlisle United in 2019 where he spent two years.

After a year out of the game, Beech returned as a director of football with Fylde in the National League North last year before transitioning into the interim manager’s role following Adam Murray's dismissal earlier this season.

And although Beech will now have to wait to face off against his former club after the clash between Hartlepool and Fylde was postponed, the former midfielder reflected on fond memories of his time in blue and white.

"It’s a long time ago since I was at Hartlepool. I was 21 I think, so a long time ago,” he said.

"But I enjoyed my time at Hartlepool. It was a good club. They had some finance issues at the time and they took a gamble on a few young players, and I was one of them.

"I worked really hard, gave my best, and they got a bit of a transfer fee for me, so it was a good two-and-a-half years of my life there.”