Hartlepool United boss credits Southend United for positive start

It’s been a period of prolonged struggle for Southend off the field, with the Shrimpers facing an uncertain future due to their precarious financial state.

The club has been called to the High Court over a number of winding up petitions issued by HMRC and were only granted a licence to compete in the 2023-24 National League campaign 10 days before the start of the season.

It came after players had taken the decision to halt their pre-season preparations over pay rows among staff.

The club is set to return to court next week following the fixture with Hartlepool.

"The club HMRC debt is to be discharged in full by their next court date, 23 August 2023,” the league statement issued last month read.

"It should be noted that this remains a requirement from the league even if the court hearing is further adjourned past the 23 August 2023.

"In addition, having discharged all outstanding football creditors, and all HMRC debt by 23 August 2023, it will be a condition of the license to ensure all new or any football creditors debts or HMRC debt are cleared on time to the satisfaction of the league at any point during the 2023-2024 season.

"Should the above not be satisfied, the club will be subject to an immediate and automatic 10 points deduction. This is in addition to any other action deemed appropriate by the league when considering any new debt.

“The league has made it clear to the club the importance that not only the current debt is settled, but the club operates in a manner that ensures they operate sustainably moving forward.”

But amidst their off-field struggles, the Shrimpers have made an impressive start to the new season with six points from their first three games.

That includes an emphatic win over Oldham Athletic at Roots Hall on the opening day, with Pools boss Askey keen to credit Kevin Maher’s side.

"You see it year after year where it galvanises a club, being in trouble,” Askey told BBC Radio Tees.

"I think they’ve still got problems now – they’re not out of the woods yet. It’s a strange thing where players have not been paid and they seem to respond to it.

"But that probably says something about football players that, sometimes, the harder you treat them, the more you get out of them.

"It’s that competitive edge, when everything is against them then it usually brings out the best in people, that’s what happens to a lot of clubs.

"But they've had a good start and they have got some good players, the players who are there are more than capable at this level.”

Hartlepool, themselves, are no strangers when it come to financial struggles and uncertainty over the club's future having been on the brink in 2018.

A fan-led fundraising page, which raised over £84,000, helped keep the club afloat before current owner Raj Singh took over in April of that year.

Five years on and Singh is now in talks to leave the club having, at the request of supporters, put Hartlepool up for sale following their relegation back to non-league.

But while negotiations with prospective buyers and consortium groups continue in the background, Hartlepool boss Askey admits it has been business as usual for players and staff.

"I don't think anybody has given it a second thought really,” Askey told BBC Radio Tees.

"I’m in regular contact with the owner and he supports me as much now as much as when I came in.

"He's been supportive, he’s backed us, so you wouldn’t know that anything is happening and it’s not affected us one little bit.”

Hartlepool head to Southend looking to continue their own bright start to the new season but they could face a difficult afternoon if the form book is anything to go by when it comes to their record at Roots Hall.

Pools’ most recent win at the home of the Shrimpers came in 2002, thanks to an Eifion Williams goal, having lost five of the seven games since there. Prior to that, Hartlepool’s only other win away to Southend came in 1969.

“We’ve got a tough game at Southend,” said Askey.

"I’ve always said the big thing is our home form, but if we can pick points up away from home then with our home form we should be in a good position.”

Former Southend forward Chris Wreh is in line to start against his old club with Josh Umerah still suspended for Askey’s side.

The 27-year-old, who made 19 appearances for the Shrimpers last season, made his home debut for Pools in the 3-1 win over Maidenhead with first team coach Antony Sweeney highlighting the importance of players like Wreh to Hartlepool this season.

"The National League is 46 tough games, it's not going to be a starting XI that gets us where we need to be,” said Sweeney.

"It’s going to be players coming in and out of the side and any player who gets an opportunity has got to provide a service for us.

“[Against Maidenhead] I thought some of his link-up play was very good for us. At times we’d like him to be a little bit more dynamic in terms of his movement off the ball and be a little bit more impactful out of possession, but he got himself into some really good positions in the second half and probably should have been on the scoresheet.”