Hartlepool United head coach Anthony Limbrick has his say on veteran Nicky Featherstone's future

Featherstone, who will turn 37 in September, signed a player-coach contract last summer and was widely expected to play a bit part role on the pitch this term. However, having been an unused substitute for the opening two matches of the campaign, the vastly experienced midfielder has been a regular in the side since then, playing 36 times. While Nathan Sheron and Jamie Miley have been preferred to him in recent weeks, Featherstone has had an important role to play this season and remains one of his side's best passers of the ball.

It's been a season of milestones for the 36-year-old, who became the club's third-highest appearance-maker of all-time and recently played his 450th game for the club. While he has divided opinion at times and was even released at the end of the 2022/23 season following what was later termed as a "misunderstanding", Featherstone was an integral part of the team that won promotion in 2021, is reliable, composed, experienced and a leader on and off the pitch.

Not for the first time, the veteran's future is up for discussion. Having played a lot of football this season, there have been one or two signs that the minutes have been catching up to him in recent weeks and he's played a more peripheral role this month, starting the last two games on the bench. Featherstone has remained fairly tight-lipped about his future, although his performances this season in general would suggest he's more than capable of another campaign if he so desires. While the former Hull, Hereford and Walsall man has made plain his intention to go into management when he does eventually hang up his boots, his current role, which allows him to train and play while getting his first taste of coaching, looks to have suited him well.

Limbrick was full of praise for the metronomic midfielder and suggested he would like to be able to call on Featherstone's services as a player again next season.

"I think he's been absolutely fantastic both on and off the pitch for me personally," he said.

"You see him in training and in games - his vision, his awareness and the way he passes the ball are fantastic. I'd seen him in the past when I'd coached teams against him, but seeing him up close I've realised just how good of a player he is. Still now, the age is irrelevant. He still gets around the pitch, he impacts the game, he's a great leader and he's on it every day in training, whether he's starting or he isn't. He's been a great benefit for me. Being here and having won promotion here as well, he's a great help to have on the staff. He's been really valuable for me.

"He's still got plenty of ability, he can still play and we'll see how he goes for the next eight games but I've been really impressed with him so far. We aren't really thinking too much about next season at the moment, but he can definitely still play, there's no doubt about that."

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