Hartlepool United manager Simon Grayson discusses future of "brilliant" Hull City loanee

In a column for The Non-League Paper, the Pools boss has been reflecting on the Hull loanee's impressive first few weeks at Victoria Park, while also doing his best to ward off potential suitors in January. Although Cartwright, who has been perhaps the outstanding Pools performer so far this term, signed a season-long loan deal on the eve of the new campaign, there are concerns that his form might lead sides from higher up the footballing pyramid to try to lure him away from Victoria Park in the new year.

Cartwright has enjoyed a superb start to life in the North East, keeping six clean sheets in his first nine matches and being named in the National League team of the week on three separate occasions. The 23-year-old, who missed the entirety of last season with a serious injury, has wasted little time in establishing himself as a fan favourite at Victoria Park thanks to his excellent shot-stopping, confidence and impressive command of his area. Unlike many young goalkeepers Cartwright, who played 32 times for League Two Grimsby during the 2023/24 campaign, has proven himself unafraid to make the most of his imposing frame and dominate his area. In an era where goalkeepers at all levels are often criticised for being reluctant to come off their line, Cartwright seems determined to buck that trend.

Pools spent almost the entire summer searching for a new number one goalkeeper following the departures of Joel Dixon and Josh Mazfari as well as Adam Smith's struggles for form. Ever since the departure of the much-maligned Ben Killip following relegation back to the National League in 2023, several goalkeepers have tried and failed to nail down the number one spot. Former Barrow and Bolton man Joel Dixon, signed as Killip's replacement in the summer of 2023, endured a torrid two years at Victoria Park that was blighted by a lack of form, a loss of confidence and a string of serious injuries. Pete Jameson, despite a run of improved performances at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, displaced Dixon in the side but didn't do enough to earn a permanent deal after his loan from Harrogate expired. Last term, Pools used Dixon, who made a decent enough start to the campaign before another anterior cruciate ligament injury put paid to his hopes of making the number one shirt his own, Adam Smith, who proved himself a capable shot-stopper but made a number of high profile mistakes, and Brad Young, who lost his place in the side after 10 games before returning to parent-club Leicester. Having taken a look at a number of goalkeepers over the summer, including Sunderland's Adam Richardson, former Nottingham Forest man Will Brook as well as Archie Mair, who has since signed for Morecambe, Pools lured Cartwright to Victoria Park just days before the new National League season kicked off. Despite the timing of his arrival, Grayson threw the young goalkeeper straight into the side ahead of the season opener against Yeovil and Pools have never looked back since; even at this stage, Cartwright looks to have a decent claim to be considered among the best goalkeepers in the division.

"Our goalkeeper at Hartlepool United, Harvey Cartwright, has been getting a lot of plaudits recently, but if you ask me he's been absolutely rubbish," Grayson wrote in a column in The Non-League Paper.

"In fact, if I was an EFL club sniffing around for a goalkeeper in January, I'd certainly look elsewhere. I'm joking of course - Harvey's been brilliant since we got him on loan from Hull.

"We had a few goalkeepers on trial over the summer, like Archie Mair and Will Brook. But we were determined to wait for the right one to become available. Harvey was right at the top of that list and he's shown us why we were right to keep our powder dry.

"He's a real good kid off the pitch, works extremely hard, and most importantly makes saves when he needs to. I think he'd be the first to admit that the lads in front of him have helped him out but he's certainly played his part. The hard bit now will be dampening down the hype so nobody tries to pinch him off us in January."

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