Jordan Hugill knows all too well the positive impact Hartlepool United fans can have.

Jordan Hugill knows a thing or two about playing at The Vic when Hartlepool United’s home ground and support is full, bouncing and fully behind the players and the power that can harness.

Summer signing Hugill, who has enjoyed an impressive career at the likes of Preston North End, Middlesbrough and Norwich City was part of the Ronnie Moore Great Escape campaign having joined on loan, Hugill scoring in that infamous 2-1 home win over Exeter City back in 2015 that helped secure Pools’ then Football League status.

A lot has changed since then, on and off the pitch, and a lot has been said this week about the pressures of playing in front of a frustrated - rightly so - home support. But 34-year-old Hugill knows how important they can be.

He told the Mail: "I think that the Pools fan base, when you're from the area and that's your club, you have a bit of pride. All you want to do is you want to see people respect the shirt. You want people to give us what you've got for their shirt and that's kind of it really. I mean, I've seen it when we were dead and buried that [Great Escape] year. Everyone wrote us off - everyone - and the way that the fans came back and they pushed us forwards and they got rewarded with that day at the Vic. They only want to see people work hard and try as much as they can."

Hugill told BBC Tees Sport: "I've seen it at its very best when I was here last. It's one hell of a club and all these fans want to see is the hard work, the desire on the pitch. I've been here when we've still been beat, but the Vic's been rocking. All they want to see is people give as much as they've got and they'll respect that. I know it's very cliché to say, but stick with us.

“We are getting there. The lads giving everything they've got. You should see the numbers the lads are putting up in training and everything behind the scenes. "Obviously, you only see the end product on a Saturday, which is three points, which is ultimately what we need as well and that's what we're driving for but the amount of work that's going into, especially in the last three weeks the manager's been here, it's been amazing."

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Pools have had a desperate start to the season with 9 defeats from the opening 13 league games ahead of the visit of Hornchurch. Reflecting on the start to the season and life under new head coach Pete Wild, Hugill added: "I think it's surprised everyone really, but I think we've all got to remember this is a new team. I mean, the amount of players that have come in the door, it's going to take a while to settle and bed in. I think now the new managers come in and I think you've seen by the last two games, we're starting to get across things that we want to do.

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“Obviously, a disappointing result at the weekend [v Marine], but at the moment, we're still progressing and we're still learning how everyone wants to do things. It's been really good [under Wild]. I've really enjoyed it, to be fair. He's been brilliant with me. I think I'm repaying that by performances on the pitch, but I'm enjoying it. There's no real easy route about it.

“You've just got to pull your sleeves up, get your head down and work as hard as you can. I think when you start to come away from that, that's when there's problems. Ultimately, we're getting our heads down and we're working as hard as we can. There's no having the shame of not giving what they've got - that's the most pleasing thing for me. No one's giving up, no one's shying away. We're in the position that we're in because of what's happened. There's no right or wrong about it. We've just got to get our heads down and work even harder.”

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