Hartlepool United attacker Anthony Mancini back in contention ahead of visit of Solihull Moors

The Frenchman has missed the last two-and-a-half months with a groin problem and hasn't featured for Pools since producing a match-winning performance against Oldham on New Year's Day, scoring the decisive goal and running the Latics back line ragged.

Mancini's Pools career so far has been a tale of considerable talent and potential but near constant frustration. Almost from the moment of his arrival as an unassuming trialist in the summer of 2023, Mancini has played his way into the hearts of Pools fans. The 23-year-old dazzled in the opening weeks of last season but sustained a serious hamstring injury against eventual champions Chesterfield at the end of August, a moment which many fans came to see as defining in their season. The creative midfielder returned on Boxing Day and scored a spectacular long range winner against Ebbsfleet the following month before being struck down by another injury. He lasted just 10 minutes on an abortive comeback attempt against Southend towards the end of the campaign and finished his first season in Pools colours having made just 14 appearances.

This season has been slightly more positive and Mancini has played 23 times, albeit many of those came from the bench. Yet just when it looked like the mercurial Frenchman was starting to get back to his best, his progress was halted by another injury and he has not been seen since New Year's Day.

Mancini is the source of frequent and impassioned debates on the terraces - blessed with so much talent but plagued by such a temperamental physical composition, supporters are divided on whether or not to keep faith with the former Burnley and Accrington Stanley man. Whatever the case, most fans would agree that he can be a hugely exciting player to watch in full flow and that he provides Pools with a certain je ne sais quoi when he's at his brilliant best.

While Pools have been very careful to manage his latest comeback, there will come a time when he will need the chance to prove his fitness. And Pools head coach Anthony Limbrick confirmed he could be available to feature ahead of Saturday's visit of Solihull Moors.

"It's good, it takes time with him," he told BBC Radio Tees Sport.

"Just the player that he is, because he's such a fast, quick, fast-twitch fibre player it takes a bit of time. It was a groin, so you have to be careful with that.

"He's done a fair amount of training now, we're hoping he's ready for the weekend, we don't know but we're keeping our fingers crossed. We'd love to get him involved, it's been great having him in and around the sessions as well. He's a player that I really like and the players respect him. You can see his quality as well in training.

"We've missed him, there's no doubt. I saw two or three games of the best of him when he got going. We're hoping he's available soon."