Hartlepool United manager Simon Grayson backs new signings Vadaine Oliver and Nathan Ferguson to improve after Pools debuts
Hartlepool United manager Simon Grayson insists there will be more to come from new signings Vadaine Oliver and Nathan Ferguson.
Last week was a busy one for Pools, who welcomed their 13th and 14th new signings of the Grayson era, with Oliver joining on Wednesday before Ferguson put pen to paper on a deal the following day after impressing during a spell training with the squad. Pools have been hoping to take advantage of the closure of the Football League transfer window to bolster their ranks, with players who might have been holding out for a move to one of the top four divisions having no choice but to turn their attention to the non-league pyramid after being left as free agents in September. While fans welcomed the latest recruits, there was a slight sense that sections of supporters were underwhelmed by the new arrivals, especially after being linked with a move for Peterborough's Chris Conn-Clarke, who scored 22 goals in 46 National League games for Altrincham during the 2023/24 campaign, during the week.
Nonetheless, both of the new men will be hoping to make an instant impact as Pools look to end a run of five games without a win. Oliver, who arrives to add presence to the Pools forward line, boasts impressive experience in both the Football League and the National League. While his goalscoring record, particularly in recent years, might be somewhat unremarkable, the veteran frontman is expected to provide Pools with a much-needed focal point and another option up front. Ferguson, meanwhile, did enough to convince Simon Grayson he was deserving of a new deal after impressing in training. Like Oliver, the versatile midfielder should add plenty of experience to the Pools squad having turned out for the likes of Southend, Wealdstone and Maidenhead, where he made 36 appearances last term as the Magpies were relegated to the National League South.
Both Oliver and Ferguson made their debuts during Saturday's frustrating draw with newly-promoted Brackley Town, the third time in four games that Pools have failed to score. It was a difficult afternoon to be thrust into the mix, particularly given that the pair had only just committed themselves to Pools. The home side produced one of their most lacklustre performances in recent memory, and neither of the new recruits were able to inject much energy or excitement into the tepid Pools showing. Even so, Grayson remains optimistic that, given time, the latest new recruits will be able to make a positive impact as Pools look to arrest their recent slump and return to winning ways.
"It's not easy, I didn't really want to put them on because they've only trained one day," he told the official club website.
"When you put them on into a game that is the worst performance we've had all season, you're never going to get something out of them because it's hard for them to pick up the tempo. It was a situation where I wanted to put them on to see if we could get something out of the game with Vadaine's presence, and maybe Nathan finding a pass. It wasn't the case, but I think they'll improve and hopefully the other players alongside them will improve as well because that wasn't good enough."