Hartlepool United transfer activity and Nicky Featherstone contract: Pools questions answered

The heartache of relegation will still ring true for Hartlepool but the focus must shift towards the new National League season as we head into the summer.

John Askey is yet to make a breakthrough when it comes to recruitment after revealing the club are in talks with several players who are out of contract.

And here we look at some of the key questions from the Suit Direct Stadium:

When do you expect things to start happening in terms of recruitment?

With the League Two season now officially over following Carlisle United’s win over Stockport County in the play-off final we can finally take a bit of stock and reset from the 2022-23 campaign.

Askey and sporting director Darren Kelly have been at work in recent weeks holding talks with players – Askey's message to supporters suggests that was when he was back into the swing of things and with the new month upon us you would expect a little bit of movement to soon follow, albeit some clubs will keep things under wraps until nearer to July 1.

As with all transfer windows there is an element of the domino effect, but with contracts expiring and the transfer window to officially open, something which the Premier League recently confirmed would be on Wednesday, June 14, we should start to see some deals being finalised.

Other clubs have already started making moves, though, which will cause some concern among supporters, so things will need to start happening soon if the club is to convince fans that things will be different this summer as opposed to playing catch up with teams.

Clubs have now completed their play-off campaigns. With activity elsewhere, Hartlepool will need to make a start.

Where do you expect to be strengthened?

It wouldn’t surprise me to see Askey take a more methodical approach than what we saw last season where things were a little more scattered.

Hartlepool need options throughout the spine of the team to begin with, starting in goal.

While there are plenty of options out there, Harrogate's Pete Jameson feels like a suitable starting point. The 30-year-old is to move on from North Yorkshire this summer and having enjoyed success with Askey at York City, Hartlepool seems a suitable option for the North East native to return closer to home and find himself in the No.1 spot.

Beyond the spine Askey will, perhaps, seek further full-back options following Jamie Sterry's exit.

It’s expected Askey will favour a back four next season which means Dan Dodds will likely be the preferred right-back option, and David Ferguson at left-back.

But beyond those two there are limited options where Askey would find himself in the square pegs and round holes situation once again – even more so should Brody Paterson leave the club, as has recently been suggested could be the case.

What about exits?

Despite Hartlepool confirming 15 contracted players for the 2023-24 season, there will be further players who will likely move on between now and the beginning of the season.

As referenced, it has been suggested former Celtic full-back Paterson has been told he is free to leave this summer and that will be a conversation had with one or two others, should they be able to fix themselves up elsewhere.

Alongside Josh Umerah, who is still expected to attract attention this summer, the key player would likely be Mohamad Sylla.

It’s no secret Sylla found himself in the firing line following an unsavoury end to the season. The club took up the option to extend the 29-year-old's deal at the Suit Direct Stadium but the Frenchman’s time with the club seems to be over, at least as far as the first team will go, whether he secures a move away or not.

Pools’ stance is to protect their asset in the hope of retrieving a suitable fee from any potential admirers in the midfielder – of which there is understood to be one or two Football League clubs, as well as from abroad.

Sylla’s anticipated exit would generate some cash to reinvest into the squad, with Askey keen to bring in more pace and athleticism.

What of targets? Who is linked?

As things stand it is very low-key when it comes to who the club may or may not be casting an eye over.

Harrogate’s Jameson is a natural link given his stance, having dropped down the pecking order with Harrogate, and his relationship with Askey, and that may be something we see as a familiar trait in Hartlepool’s business.

Upon Askey’s arrival, it was suggested to The Mail how he likes to bring in players he trusts and there will be several from his time with the likes of York and Macclesfield where he achieved success.

Hartlepool may also look to flex their muscles in the local scene, with the likes of Gateshead and York, and test their resolve over any potential assets if they are serious about making a charge next season.

What is the latest on Nicky Featherstone?

It’s a situation you would expect to reach a resolution in the near future.

The suggestion from both camps at the end of the season was one of little concern when it came to negotiations, with Featherstone revealing his position to The Mail in terms of his desire to remain at the Suit Direct Stadium.

The 34-year-old said: "Everyone knows I love the club and I want to be here. That’s my position. But I haven’t given it much thought outside of that just yet. The sole focus was on trying to keep the club in the Football League.”

Featherstone's experience could be invaluable to Askey next season, with Askey complimentary of his captain in the final weeks of the season.

"He’s still got a bit left in him, Nicky, and not only has he still got more than a bit left in him football-wise, he’s part and parcel of the football club,” said Askey.

The club may be considering things more periodically, as things stand, in terms of released players, season ticket launches, pre-season information and so on.

But Featherstone’s potential new deal will allow Pools to put another piece of the puzzle in place, so it would not be a surprise if there is confirmation, one way or the other, soon, with little over a month until players return for pre-season duty.

Patrick Boyes is another player who is yet to have his future confirmed with the young goalkeeper understood to be considering his options.

How likely are Hartlepool to use the loan market again this season?

There won’t be an over-reliance on the loan market from Askey’s point of view but there is an acceptance, at this level, there can be some success from higher league loan deals.

Pools had six loan players during the second half of the League Two season and, with Jack Hamilton's confirmed signing at Raith Rovers, there will unlikely be any who will return.

The club did utilise the loan market well during their last season in non-league, particularly with the signing of Luke Armstrong, but it seems Askey is more focused on permanent deals, at least at this stage of the summer.

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