'Positive feedback' - How Hartlepool United's standing in the game is growing after busy summer of transfers
Hartlepool United’s reputation in the game is growing.
It has been an incredibly busy summer of transfer activity at Hartlepool United - with 10 new faces already through the door following a much-needed squad revamp.
Having released 13 players in the summer, it was clear major change was on the way and head coach Lee Clark, head of recruitment Chris Beech and Chris Maxwell, head of football operations at consultants Bromby & Partners have led the charge. Pools have made some statement signings too with the arrival of the likes of Will Harris, Jack Nolan and Jordan Hugill among the new faces. More will follow too with a new goalkeeper and left-back still on the shopping list.
For Pools fans it has been an enjoyable summer, with each of the new signings all referencing how they were impressed with the vision laid out by Beech & Co when trying to convince them to move to the North East and Pools. The squad has been back in training for the best part of a fortnight and the pre-season friendly games got underway at the weekend. Clark challenged his Hartlepool United squad to foster a ‘winning mentality’ after his managerial reign got underway with a 3-0 victory in a pre-season friendly at Northern League newcomers Seaton Carew. Pools are back in action on Tuesday night (July 14th) when they travel to Northern Premier League Premier Division newcomers Redcar Athletic.
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Pools’ summer recruitment has been impressive with the club’s reputation growing following the summer restructure, transformation under Landon Smith and strong ambitions under the new owner for an EFL return - with club consultants Bromby & Partners leading the structure.
Head of recruitment Chris Beech told the Mail: “We've had some really positive feedback in regards to how we've represented the club, how we've tried to share Landon's vision in regards to how Bromby & Partners, through Chris [Maxwell], have structured it. From that, branch out into how we then deliver that and when we share that information with players and agents. So, when we speak with players, we always invite whoever represents them on the same call, and it's good because they'll ask questions that the players haven't even thought about, and then within that, if it is through Zoom or in person - we try and meet everybody in person - you can get a really good feel of what we're trying to deliver, what that player can bring, why we're interested in them, what we can do for them, how they can help us because we want them to make that football decision.
“Money isn't everything and when you're playing, you're not really thinking about that. You're thinking about your next action and what you're trying to do. You need that motivated person and value can come in many different forms, that's self-motivation.”
The signings of the likes of Morecambe duo Chris Popov and Jack Nolan and FC Halifax Town’s in-demand striker Will Harris have raised the excitement levels amongst Pools supporters and there was further intrigue added when Neo Eccleston put pen-to-paper on an initial one-year deal to become the tenth new arrival of the summer.
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