Hartlepool United are facing a hectic summer in the transfer market ahead of Lee Clark's first season in charge.

Hartlepool United legend Micky Barron admitted he wasn’t surprise by the lengthy list of players that will leave his old club this summer - and pointed to two key position that must be made a priority ahead of the new National League season.

Pools wasted little time in making changes in the aftermath of an underwhelming season as the likes of captain Tom Parkes, midfielder Brad Walker and forward trio Adam Campbell, Alex Reid and Vadaine Oliver were all named on a list of 13 players that will leave the club when their contracts ended this summer.

That has left manager Lee Clark and head of recruitment Chris Beech with a sizeable task as they look to boost the Pools ranks throughout the summer - but the clearout was required according to Pools legend Barron as they look to give their new manager a ‘clean slate’ ahead of his first season in charge.

He told The Mail: “I think it was needed to be honest. It’s a clean slate with the new manager and the new owner needs to have his say along with the company that’s helping him out. They need to bring in the players that the manager wants because I think there’s too many seasons where there has been a mismatch of what the manager wants and the players that get brought in. I think Chris Beech coming in can help and I’m sure he and Lee have a list of players they want and they’ll go after them and hopefully get them.”

Priorities

Pools will look for a new goalkeeper during the summer after former Southend United stopper Nick Hayes was released and Barron has stressed bringing in a new number one and a consistent goalkeeper should be of paramount importance for Beech and Clark head of the new campaign.

He said: “If you look at last year, a goalkeeper is priority because any team will struggle without a really good goalkeeper. Last year, the goalkeepers they had weren’t up to scratch and I think everyone needs a striker, don’t they? So going out and getting a striker that can get you 20 goals will be key as well.”

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