Hard work paying off for Mark Shelton at Hartlepool United with 'massive vindication'

In December 2019, Mark Shelton arrived at Hartlepool United on a month long loan from Salford City with a point to prove.

The young midfielder, then just 23, had been part of The Ammies side that was promoted from the National League in 2019 and started the club’s first ever match in League Two.

But Salford aren’t a patient club. One or two ineffective performances can see players frozen out and palmed off elsewhere (see Luke Armstrong, Dan Jones etc.).

For a young player still learning his trade, that can be a difficult environment to develop in.

But Pools – a club still in transition in the National League following the recent appointment of manager Dave Challinor – presented ideal surroundings for Shelton to spread his wings.

What was initially just a short-term move based around playing games, quickly developed into a flourishing love affair as Shelton’s impressive displays saw him extend his loan until the end of the 2019-20 season before joining the club permanently in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

It’s been a mutually beneficial move that the midfielder describes as ‘the best’ he’s had in his career, given what has since unfolded.

Playing almost every week, securing the second National League play-off promotion of his career and scoring the first penalty in the shoot-out win over Torquay United back in June provided a huge sense of personal and professional validation for Shelton.

“I’ve said before, this has been 10, 20 times better [than promotion with Salford] for me to be a big part of the squad and having a lot of responsibility,” Shelton admitted.

The midfielder may have been at Pools less than two years but in that time he’s slowly but surely transformed from a promising young midfielder to a key member of the club’s dressing room.

The bonds forged at the club have been there for all to see. Shelton’s midfield partners Nicky Featherstone and Gavan Holohan, known as the wolf pack, all have matching wolf’s head tattoos to commemorate the crucial role they played in the club’s promotion.

Supporters have embraced the midfielder, and he has embraced the club back.

“Being a bigger part of the squad and having a lot of responsibility to go out there, it’s not just for yourself,” he added.

“There’s a lot of people that it means a lot to so when you do put on the shirt and go out there and play, it means a lot to a lot of people. You’re sort of holding that burden for them.

“It’s been really good for me. Hartlepool has been the best move I’ve had in my career. In terms of playing games, promotions and doing well so I guess I’d have to thank the club in a way. Let’s just hope that continues this season.”

Getting that taste of League Two football once again is one thing for Shelton. Earning it by being part of something bigger at Hartlepool has reaffirmed the midfielder’s belief in himself.

“There’s a massive sense of vindication,” he told The Mail. “I did have injuries at Salford in League Two last time but sometimes you doubt yourself and you want to go out there and prove that you are good enough.

"None of us will be playing at this level very long if we don’t back ourselves to be good enough.”

It’s early days in League Two for Pools so far but Shelton has cemented his place in the starting line-up when available – he is expected to start against Exeter City at Victoria Park this Saturday (3pm kick-off).

Hartlepool have won 18 of their last 20 matches at home, boasting the best home record in England. And Pools’ number 6 has nodded to the home supporters as a big reason why the side have been able to continue their impressive run since stepping up into League Two.

“Support has gone up massively,” he told The Mail. “We didn’t have fans last season but even the season before we had fans in and it was a good atmosphere and compared to other club’s I’ve been at, it’s been way beyond that.

"Then with the fans coming back this season after getting promoted, it takes things up to another level. You can see how much it means to everybody, even with the parade after the promotion, I couldn’t believe how many people were there to show their support for the club.

"It’s been a real eye opener and I’ve said to people before that you want to be surprised by it but it gets to the point where you’re not, you just expect it which is huge credit to the supporters.”

While Shelton may not possess Featherstone’s level of passing or Holohan’s goal scoring, he is unrivalled in exhibiting something that Poolies will always warm to no matter what – hard graft.

He is Pools’ midfield engine, the player that epitomises the very nature of the wolf pack, hunting down the opposition – covering a staggering 22 kilometers during the promotion final victory.

But with that comes responsibility and more importantly respect from his Pools teammates (even if they don’t always show it while he’s being interviewed).

“I’ve played at teams before and been in and out of the teams when I was younger and probably seen as one of the young characters especially with the way I am,” Shelton continued while trying to ignore distractions from passing Pools players.

"But I’ve played a lot of games here and done well which gives you more of a voice in the changing room. I’ve just turned 25, I’m not a kid any more and I feel like I’m a big part of this team on and off the pitch.”

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