Hartlepool United manager discusses decision to drop midfielder Nathan Sheron to bench for first time all season
Hartlepool United manager Nicky Featherstone has been discussing his decision to drop vice-captain Nathan Sheron to the bench for the first time all season ahead of Saturday's trip to Solihull Moors.
The midfielder had started all of his side's first 32 National League games this term having been almost ever-present last season but was named among the substitutes in the West Midlands at the weekend.
Featherstone, a former midfielder himself, has experimented with several combinations in the engine room but has never wavered in selecting Sheron, who is a popular figure at Victoria Park. Yet on Saturday the Pools boss opted to drop Sheron in place of Jamie Miley, who lashed home an equaliser on the stroke of half time, and Jack Hunter, who has been brought back in from the cold by Featherstone having been out of favour under former manager Simon Grayson.
After signing from fellow National League side Oldham Athletic in the summer of 2024, the 28-year-old wasted little time in establishing himself as a fan favourite in the North East and was arguably his side's outstanding performer last term, impressing with his hard work, tough-tackling and versatility. Perhaps not the most glamorous figure in the Pools squad, Sheron was nonetheless a valuable asset in an otherwise underwhelming 2024/25 campaign, operating in midfield, at right-back and even occasionally as a central-defender before being rewarded with a new two-year deal over the summer.
While the former Fleetwood, Walsall and Harrogate man has once again been a regular in the Pools side this term, he has at times struggled to hit the heights that made him such an influential figure in the engine room last season. Whereas in his maiden Pools campaign Sheron was lauded for his hard work without the ball, the versatile midfielder has frequently been criticised for his lack of quality in possession this term, with both Hunter and Miley generally regarded as being better with the ball at their feet.
Despite his omission at the weekend - Sheron didn't feature at all as Pools came from two goals down to secure a remarkable win over Solihull on Saturday - Featherstone insists he expects the experienced midfielder to have a big impact between now and the end of the campaign as his side gear up for Wednesday night's visit of rivals Carlisle United.
"I don't think Shez has missed a game in the two-and-a-half years he's been here," Featherstone said.
"I just felt the game needed something slightly different. We're building a squad where we can have horses for courses; we choose certain personnel for certain games.
"Shez is brilliant for us and he will continue to be brilliant for us, he's a massively important player for me. In this particular game I just fancied something different in midfield."