Ex-Aston Villa product aims to keep Hartlepool United in Football League

The 22-year-old former Aston Villa youth has been on trial at Pools and boss Ronnie Moore was keen to get him in on a permanent contract.

Moore believes he can make an impact in the first team before the end of the season but he won’t be involved today against Burton Albion.

Nelson-Addy is keen to prove himself in league football having dropped into non-league.

“This is my second chance and I am determined to take it,” Nelson-Addy told SportMail. “I am delighted, it is amazing to sign for Hartlepool and I am going to do my utmost to help the team stay up this season.

“These chances are rare, especially second chances, I know that.

“I am really pleased the manager and the club has taken a chance on me and I am looking to repay them.”

While on trial, he featured for Pools’ reserves against Hull City recently and Moore was keen to strike a deal.

It has taken a while to complete the signing, with the winger admitting it has been a long wait. Nelson-Addy added: “I played my trial game a few weeks ago and it has taken a while to get sorted but I am really pleased it is now complete.

“Both the manager and Sam [Collins] have been really helpful with me, they always said they wanted to sign me and said what they liked about my game.

“I just want to help keep Pools up now.

“Teams can go on a winning run and back-to-back wins will help achieve that.

“I have trained with the players and I believe in them, I really believe we will stay up.”

He is comfortable in central midfield, wide right or a more advanced attacking role.

Nelson-Addy came up through the ranks at Villa, where he spent 12 years after joining the club aged eight.

A regular for their reserve side, he struggled to break through into the first team and was released in the summer of 2012.

Since then, he has spent time in non-league with Worcester City and Brackley Town – who he played for last weekend.

“I spent 12 years at Villa, it was a big part of my life.

“I had a good grounding there but there weren’t any first team opportunities.

“I went to Worcester and Brackley and playing men’s football has toughened me up a lot.

“The blend of both has been helpful and hopefully I can apply that to my time at Pools.”

Delighted Moore said: “We like what we’ve seen from Ebby in training and the reserve game.

“His versatility to be able to play in a number of positions gives us some new attacking options.

“He’s still only young but he has a lot of ability and I think with some full-time training we can improve him further and he can be challenging for a place in the team before the end of the season.”

Nelson-Addy will wear the number 15 shirt at Victoria Park, once clearance is received from the Football League.”