'Get the pizzas in' - Paul Hartley makes Hartlepool United transfer deadline day prediction

The Pools boss celebrated his first win in charge of the club in the Papa Johns Trophy tie with Harrogate Town thanks to Mikael Ndjoli’s double and he is now hoping to add to the week by finalising a number of deals to strengthen his squad.

Pools have already brought in 15 players this summer, but Hartley has advised to ‘get the pizzas in’ on Thursday night in anticipation of a late evening of business at the Suit Direct Stadium.

“Yeah [I’ll be in the office and on the phone],” Hartley told The Mail when asked what the next 48 hours will look like.

“Get the pizzas in for Thursday night. I expect it to be busy, I really do. I’d really hope we can get some numbers in through the door.

“I’ll be in first thing for training on Thursday and I’ll leave last thing again Thursday night and then once it’s finished sometimes after that it can still continue with players who are maybe available because they’re free and they’re out of contract.”

But despite his hopes of adding more new faces to the squad ahead of Thursday's 11pm deadline, Hartley revealed he is no closer to any deals as things stand.

“I’d like to think [we can add one or two],” he said.

“It’s not for the want of trying. That’s just the way it is. We’ll be upfront and if we can do a deal, we’ll do it.

“We’re not that close just now. We’ve put some offers in, we’re just waiting to hear back and if we can get a couple of deals done then we’ll be happy.

“I’m sure we’ll be busy to see if we can get who we want in at the top end, but every other club is chasing players. It’s really difficult to get some bodies in but we’re trying.

“I’ve said before we've missed out on quite a few players for various reasons, players who I think could have helped us, but that’s just the way it goes so we have to go again and find other targets.

“So we’ll be sitting about until the last minute to see if we can enhance the squad.”