Hartlepool United midfielder Kieran Wallace has signed for National League North side Peterborough Sports on loan until the end of the season.

Wallace, who joined Pools in the summer of 2023, has not made a senior appearance for the club all season.

The 29-year-old arrived at the Prestige Group Stadium after Pools were relegated back to the National League under John Askey. At the time, Wallace was seen as a replacement for Nicky Featherstone, who left the club in the summer but returned in October. Although the defensive-minded midfielder arrived with a decent reputation having impressed Mansfield fans during an 18-month spell in Nottinghamshire, injuries have troubled him throughout his career. Wallace has struggled for fitness and regular football in recent seasons, with 23 of his 60 league appearances at Burton Albion coming from the bench while 24 of his 47 Mansfield outings started as a substitute.

Pools fans had hoped that a drop in level as well as clean bill of health would make Wallace the perfect replacement for Featherstone, who had been the heartbeat of the midfield for so long. However, the new man struggled to get going and it wasn't long before he was back on the treatment table. Wallace managed just 21 appearances in his first season at Pools and failed to make much of a mark under John Askey, Lennie Lawrence or Kevin Phillips. While the fact that Featherstone played every game after he re-signed for the club in October was testament to the veteran's longevity, it was also a damning indictment of Wallace's struggles.

Wallace, who has not played for Pools since last February, has signed for National League North side Peterborough Sports on loan and looks set to leave when his deal at the Prestige Group Stadium expires at the end of the season. Picture by Frank Reid.

placeholder image — Wallace, who has not played for Pools since last February, has signed for National League North side Peterborough Sports on loan and looks set to leave when his deal at the Prestige Group Stadium expires at the end of the season. Picture by Frank Reid.

The midfielder underwent surgery in the summer and captained a young Pools side during a resounding defeat against Chester-Le-Street United in the Durham Challenge Cup back in September but was unable to force his way into first team contention. Wallace spent three months on loan at fellow National League side Tamworth earlier in the campaign but found his opportunities limited, making three starts and four substitute appearances in Staffordshire.

Wallace now heads to Cambridgeshire to join a Peterborough Sports side who are 11th in the National League table. The Turbines, who travel to Brackley this weekend, are seven points outside the play-offs but have played two games more than many of their rivals. In all likelihood, Wallace, who is one of six central-midfielders currently contracted to Pools, will leave the club when his deal expires this summer.