Hartlepool United want more loan support from Newcastle United, Sunderland and Middlesbrough as they assess Huddersfield Town youngster

Romoney Crichlow-Noble in action for Hartlepool. YCFC 2-1 HUFC 17-07-2019. Picture by Frank Reid

Pools are currently looking at Huddersfield Town left-back Romoney Crichlow-Noble who will feature in the friendly against Sheffield United under-23s.

The 20-year-old defender’s time at the Super 6 Stadium will give Hignett the chance to assess the player ahead of a potential loan move. It would also signal the start of a potential partnership with Huddersfield.

“We’re assessing Romoney over the next few days,” said the Hartlepool manager.

“If we make a decision it might be a season loan or sometimes clubs like to do one until Christmas then reassess things.”

For Hignett, it’s important that United are able to have an effective loan policy in order to develop a strong reputation that will convince the ‘big three’ north east sides to loan out their best academy players.

“The thing about loan players is, and we need to be savvy with this, is that if a loan player comes to us, he’s got to play,” he added.

“He’s got to be better than what we’ve got because if he’s not, it’s pointless bringing him in.

“I don’t want a reputation of taking loan players and not playing them because people need to trust you.

“That’s why the big three (Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesbrough) haven’t been as forthcoming with loan players as maybe they should be.

“I see it as a massive development tool for them. They’ve got players playing in the under-23s and with all due respect, it doesn’t matter where you play in the 23s, it’s not this standard.

“This is a better standard than the under-23s are playing, it’s more physical and it’s proper football and they’ll learn more in 10 games here than they will in a full season in a 23s squad. So I see the benefits of loaning a player out as massive for those clubs.

“We have to play our part by playing them so the players that we get can’t be the lower players who they want us to have, they have to be players who aren’t far away from their first team, who want to play proper football.”