Hartlepool United manager hoping Matty Daly will bring "something different" to Pools after sealing permanent return
Hartlepool United manager Simon Grayson is hoping new signing Matty Daly will bring "something different" to Pools after he sealed a permanent return to Victoria Park.
The 24-year-old became the club's 10th summer signing - Pools have since added an 11th, welcoming teenage striker Josh Donaldson following a successful trial - last week. The attacking-midfielder enjoyed an impressive spell on loan at Pools in the 2021/22 campaign, scoring seven goals in 27 games. Daly played an integral role in the club's memorable run to the semi-finals of the EFL Trophy, scoring five times in four matches.
After his strong spell at Victoria Park, Daly spent time on loan at Bradford, scoring once in nine games, and then Harrogate, finding the net eight times in 39 appearances.
After leaving parent club Huddersfield, the former England under-18 international signed a permanent deal with the Sulphurites and went on to make a further 63 appearances in North Yorkshire. He was released at the end of last season having not featured since New Year's Day after suffering with a string of injuries, including to his hamstring and his toe.
Pools had been on the hunt for an attacking-midfielder following the departure of the mercurial Anthony Mancini, who was released in May and has since signed for National League rivals Rochdale. Adam Campbell, who arrived at Victoria Park with a big reputation last summer, endured a torrid first season back in the North East while Jermaine Francis, who scored eight times in 29 games for Braintree last term, can operate centrally but is perhaps more comfortable on the flank.
"We spoke about him (Daly) early in the summer, when I first came," Grayson told The Red Radio.
"I think what we tried to do early on in the window was to make sure we got defensively strong with all the players I wanted, and then add the attackers as we went along.
"Matty will bring something different to the team that we maybe haven't had as well. We want different options, different variations, different personnel, different qualities. Matty played as a 10 tonight (Wednesday, against a Middlesbrough XI), Jermaine Francis came on and played down the middle. We've got a good flexibility and versatility within the group. We always want to sign good players, and I think we've done ok in that department."