Four potential Hartlepool United captains ahead of new manager Darren Sarll's first season in charge:
1. Nicky Featherstone
The sensible thing to do seems to be to keep Nicky Featherstone as captain whenever he plays next season. There are some sections of supporters who seem to question his qualities as a leader but Featherstone, who has skipped the side for much of the last few years, proved he was far more suited to the role than David Ferguson after Lennie Lawrence handed the armband back to the veteran midfielder in the new year. He might not be the most obvious leader in that he does not tend to scream and shout, but his teammates all point towards him being an excellent communicator while his more than a decade of service to the club, during which time he has almost always been available, means he leads by example. The question mark surrounding Featherstone, who turns 36 in September, is just how much he will play next term. He is already the club's sixth-highest appearance-maker of all-time and was pretty much ever-present after re-signing for Pools at the beginning of October, featuring 34 times. However, he admitted that next season could be his last as a player and Darren Sarll described his new deal, which will see him take up a player-coach role, as "transitional". How much he will feature will depend, at least to a degree, on this summer's recruitment - Featherstone is one of three central-midfielders currently on the books, and both Kieran Wallace and Anthony Mancini are injured. If Sarll can get the right type of players around him, then he definitely still has something to offer on the pitch, although his age and the new manager's desire for a more robust and energetic midfield mean he's unlikely to play week in, week out and so Pools will need to consider who leads the side in his absence. Photo: Mark Fletcher
2. Luke Waterfall
Unlike towards the beginning of last season, Pools boast a number of leaders within their ranks. Perhaps the most obvious is Luke Waterfall, who has captained both Lincoln and Grimsby to National League promotion, which must make him the ideal candidate. Also in his favour are his impressive performances since his January arrival and the fact that he has tended to avoid injuries throughout his career. As a captain, his record speaks for itself - as well as his two promotions, he lifted the EFL Trophy in 2018 while skippering Lincoln, was included in the National League team of the season in 2022 and was part of the Grimsby side that reached the FA Cup quarter-finals, playing the full 90 minutes as the Mariners beat Premier League Southampton. Since arriving at Pools, his commitment, commanding presence, height, power and skills as a communicator have considerably improved his new side's defensive record, while he also made a massive impact on teenage full-back Louis Stephenson and never stopped talking to him as the 18-year-old made an impressive return to the side. Photo: Mark Fletcher
3. Tom Parkes
Much like his defensive partner, the arrival of Parkes has made a huge difference to Pools' fortunes at the back. He, too, has vast experience and is something of a legend at Bristol Rovers, where he made more than 200 appearances. His full-blooded approach has made him a fan favourite but his reading of the game as well as his composure with the ball at his feet shows that he is so much more than just an old fashioned centre-half, he is a real thinker as well. He can reasonably claim that he was the catalyst for Pools' defensive turnaround in the second half of the season; after arriving a fortnight before Waterfall, he set about encouraging his new teammates to talk to one another out on the pitch. That one doubt that surrounded him when he arrived from Scottish Premiership side Livingston was a chequered recent past with injuries, although he has almost always been available since arriving in the North East, missing just over half a game against Barnet after being forced off with concussion and playing 19 times in total. Photo: Mark Fletcher
4. Mani Dieseruvwe
Strikers do not tend to be the most obvious choice as captains, although Ronnie Moore's appointment of Billy Paynter as skipper in 2015 proved a shrewd decision. Unlike some frontmen, Dieseruvwe tends to play every minute of every game for which he is available and he was, by some distance, the outstanding performer last term. Like Waterfall and Featherstone, he knows what it takes to get out of the National League and has twice won promotion from the fifth tier via the play-offs. Giving him the armband could be another incentive to keep him at the Suit Direct, although if there is any doubt over his future it might not be the wisest move. He's an experienced player and is well-liked by supporters and his teammates, both on account of his consistently impressive and committed performances and the fact he is a down to earth and respected individual. Would be a bit of a wildcard choice, but no doubt there is logic behind it. Photo: Mark Fletcher