Hartlepool United hand one-year deal to former Middlesbrough goalkeeper after successful trial

Hartlepool United new boy Nathan Fisher has insisted his is ready to step into first-team football after the trialist goalkeeper agreed an initial one-year deal at Victoria Park.

The former Middlesbrough academy stopper became a regular in the Championship club’s Under-18s and Under-21s sides in recent seasons - but was unable to make the step up to senior level at the International Stadium. After leaving Boro at the end of last season when his contract came to a close, the 21-year-old trained with National League North newcomers Hebburn Town and featured for the Hornets earlier in pre-season.

However, after joining Pools on trial in recent weeks, Fisher has done enough to impress Lee Clark and has now signed a one-year deal that will allow him to provide cover and competition for fellow new arrival Max Merrick. Speaking after putting pen-to-paper, Fisher revealed his excitement over joining Pools and pointed to the size of the club as the key reason behind his enthusiasm.

He told the club website: “There’s a real buzz around the place and everyone has made me feel welcome from day one. Lee and all the coaching staff have been brilliant with me, while working with Adam Smith has been a massive positive. He’s a top goalkeeping coach and I’ve already learned a lot from him in a short space of time.

“I’m from the North East, so I know exactly the size of this football club and how much it means to the supporters. You can see the ambition around the club as soon as you walk through the door and that’s something that really stood out to me. I’ve spent the last five years learning my trade at Middlesbrough and now I feel ready for senior football. Training every day alongside Max and the other goalkeepers will only help me keep improving, and that’s exactly the environment I wanted to be in. Now it’s down to me to keep working hard, keep learning and take this opportunity with both hands. I can’t wait to pull on the shirt, play in front of the supporters at Victoria Park and do everything I can to help the team this season.”

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