Hartlepool United land major coup with signing of FC Halifax Town striker Will Harris

Hartlepool United have fought off major competition from a number of EFL and National League clubs to secure the signing of FC Halifax Town’s in-demand striker Will Harris.

The former Sunderland academy frontman caught the eye of a number of potential suitors throughout last season as he enjoyed the most productive year of his career by plundering his way to 22 goals in 43 league appearances during the campaign. That impressive tally included the only goal of the game as the Shaymen claimed a narrow win at Victoria Park in March on a day when Harris gave the Pools faithful an indication of what they can expect from arguably their club’s most impressive signing of the summer.

Harris spent time within the youth setup at Hebburn Town before enjoying spells within the academy systems at Burnley and Sunderland. Harris joined Gateshead following his release from the Black Cats during the summer of 2022 and went on to feature in their FA Trophy final defeat against Halifax at the end of the same season. A free transfer move to Spennymoor Town and a loan spell at Scunthorpe United followed before Harris found a home with Halifax last summer.

However, he will now call Victoria Park his home after agreeing an initial two-year deal with an option of a third year to become the latest addition to an impressive array of attacking talent that will be at head coach Lee Clark’s disposal during his first season in charge of Pools.

Speaking after putting pen-to-paper, Harris admitted he felt it was the right time to join Pools and revealed he is arriving with a lot of confidence on the back of a goal-laden season last time out.

Focused

He told the club website: “I’m delighted to be here. As soon as Pools’ interest became serious, this was the place I wanted to come. Chris made it clear how much the Club wanted to bring me here and that meant a lot. We had some really good conversations about where the Club is heading and the role they believed I could play in it. I’ve worked hard to get myself into this position and I feel I’m joining at the right time in my career. Last season gave me a lot of confidence, but I’m hungry to keep improving, keep scoring goals and help this football club achieve what it’s capable of.

“You only have to look at this football club to see where it wants to be. There’s real ambition here and I wanted to be part of that. As a player, those are the sort of challenges you look for. I’m looking forward to getting back in next week, meeting the lads and getting straight to work in pre-season. That’s where everything starts and we’ll all be focused on preparing properly for what’s going to be a big season. I’ve played at Victoria Park before, so I know what the supporters are like and the atmosphere they create. It’s a brilliant place to play football and I’m looking forward to having them behind me this season. I’ll give absolutely everything every time I pull on the shirt and hopefully I can repay the faith the Club has shown in me with goals and, most importantly, success for Pools.”

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