Hartlepool United's new predicted final National League position ahead of Forest Green test
Hartlepool United are targeting a positive end to a difficult season at the Prestige Group Stadium.
Hartlepool United will hope to put a positive end on what has been another season of change on and off the pitch at the National League club.
There were a number of occasions throughout the season where a play-off push looked to be on the cards - but several disappointing defeats and dropped points meant the top seven has remained out of reach and the recent 7-0 humiliation at the hands of FA Trophy finalists Wealdstone all but confirmed Pools will spend another season in non-league football’s top tier.
There are still three games remaining in the campaign as Nicky Featherstone’s side face a home double header with play-off-bound duo Forest Green Rovers and Southend United before they round off the campaign with a visit to a Boston United side currently sat just before the halfway point in the National League table. Featherstone has already challenged his players to produce a strong end to the season and called on his squad to ‘prepare properly’ for Saturday’s meeting with Forest Green.
"Obviously, we want to end the season strongly," the Pools boss told BBC Radio Tees Sport after Saturday’s defeat at Boreham Wood. "There are a lot of things that go into a performance and there's a lot of stuff on the outside that isn't helping at the minute - whether that's right or wrong. Of course, I'd love to finish the season well. We're on 62 points, it's the best points tally we've had for a long time - although it doesn't feel like that at times this season. The only other one that exceeded that is the season we got promoted.
“There are still three games to play, we've just got to try and finish the season as well as we can. We'll prepare properly for Forest Green and see what we can do. We've not scored in four games now, that's a massive issue. I don't know if that's confidence, if it's insecurities with what's going on but we've got to try and galvanise a squad that's pretty low at the minute. I find it hard, I've been in these situations as well to be fair. Confidence will only ever come from yourself and your own performances, you have to find that within sometimes; this group has to find that within.”
But where are Pools predicted to finish in the National League table? We take a look at a predicted final table produced by FWP.
Predicted final National League table
Champions: York City (108 points) Play-offs: Rochdale (106 points), Carlisle United (93 points), Boreham Wood (90 points), Scunthorpe United (85 points), Forest Green Rovers (82 points), Southend United (78 points) Staying for another season: FC Halifax Town (68 points), Woking (66 points), Hartlepool United (64 points), Tamworth (61 points), Wealdstone (58 points), Solihull Moors (55 points), Boston United (55 points), Altrincham (54 points), Yeovil Town (54 points), Aldershot Town (53 points), Gateshead (51 points), Sutton United (50 points), Eastleigh (49 points) Relegated: Brackley Town (39 points), Morecambe (38 points), Braintree Town (36 points), Truro City (32 points)
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