Hartlepool United transfer deadline day recap: Stockport County striker one of five signings for Keith Curle as ex-Charlton Athletic man stays

The pressure was on Curle, Hartlepool chairman Raj Singh and the rest of the recruitment team at the Suit Direct Stadium to deliver on the final day of the window.

And while the success of their deadline day antics remains to be seen over the course of the final three months of the season – the club were certainly active in the final hours of the window.

Five new players arrived at the Suit Direct Stadium – four of which joined in the final hour of business.

Dan Kemp was first through the door as he completed a loan move from League One side MK Dons for the rest of the season. The winger progressed through the ranks at Chelsea and West Ham United before moving on to the likes of Stevenage and Leyton Orient.

Kemp was then joined by a flurry of new faces in the closing stages of the window as Curle was able to bring in the centre-back and striker he had wanted for much of the final week of the window.

Taylor Foran joins on loan from Premier League leaders Arsenal having impressed in the under-21s side.

Walsall midfielder Brendan Kiernan was next to be confirmed with the 30-year-old joining on a permanent deal following a successful loan spell with Grimsby Town in the first half of the campaign.

Curle then got his forward addition with 30 minutes of the window remaining as Stockport County’s Connor Jennings completed a permanent move to the Suit Direct Stadium.

And business was not quite done there as there was still time for Crewe Alexandra midfielder Oliver Finney to complete a permanent switch with just minutes remaining before the 11pm deadline.

But just as significant as the five new additions to Curle’s squad on deadline day was the club holding a firm stance over star striker Umerah.

Umerah was the subject of a bid from League One side Burton Albion heading into deadline day as well as reported interest from elsewhere, but the striker turned up for training as normal to allay fears over a potential exit with the club rejecting any approach for the 13-goal striker – teenager Joe Grey also remaining with the club.

Curle, Singh and the recruitment team remained hard at work at the club’s Maiden Castle training base – and not without setbacks as Fleetwood Town forward Ged Garner completed a move to Barrow for a club record fee and Solihull Moors talisman Andrew Dallas remained with the National League club.

Hartlepool refrained from allowing anyone to leave the Suit Direct Stadium on deadline day – defender Euan Murray the closest to a potential exit amid interest from Scottish duo Dunfermline and Falkirk, but a possible loan deal would not materialise in the end.

It means Hartlepool have brought in 11 players throughout the January transfer window with Curle now fully aware of the task in hand in trying to secure the clubs Football League status.