Hartlepool United shirts are up for grabs

Only Trevor Carson, who will not be wearing a blue and white jersey, can have a fair degree of certainty of being on Moore’s team-sheet against Morecambe on August 8.

The summer signing, as the keeper, will be the first name on the team-sheet, but as for the rest, the manager has thrown down the gauntlet to his squad, old and new.

Moore and assistant, Sam Collins, have not been shy

on the new arrivals front, with Carson and striker Billy Paynter probably the stand-out signings.

Rhys Oates. Harry Worley, Jake Carroll, Carl Magnay, Rakish Bingham and Kudus Oyenuga have also come in.

“We have eight signings and we’ll probably have nine by the time the season starts,” said Moore.

“Will they all play? Probably not.

“There will probably be a mixture.

“The keeper will play, obviously, because I’ve brought him in for Scotty Flinders.

“But there are 10 shirts there. I don’t care who plays, I have no preference for anyone, it will be who’s pre-seasoned well and down to what formation we play.

“We will be looking at a lot of formations in these pre-season games, that’s what they are there for.

“It’s up to the players - those not selected can’t come moaning to me if they are not playing on August 8.

“They’ll have had all pre-season to win the shirts.

“It’s then down to the players who get the jerseys to keep them. It’s as simple as that.”

Moore and Collins took charge of a in-house practice match at Catterick today as Pools started to wind down their army training camp.

But the real stuff starts on Monday with the first friendly, at Billingham Town.

The trip to Bedford Terrace kicks off a colossal pre-season programme.

Pools also taking on Harrogate Railway on Tuesday, Whitby Town on Friday, Spennymoor on Saturday before matches the following week against Ashington, Scunthorpe United, Gateshead, Dunston and Chesterfield.

Assistant boss Collins said: “Everyone will get loads of game-time with so many matches in the first week.”