Marvellous Marvin Morgan raring to go for Hartlepool United after leaving Plymouth

The 31-year-old striker has joined from Plymouth Argyle until the end of the season on the same day Scunthorpe United defender David Mirfin signed on loan and Scott Harrison agreed a permanent deal.

Nicky Featherstone also penned a new contract but Pools were dealt a blow when Mansfield Town recalled striker Rakish Bingham.

Overall, boss Ronnie Moore was pleased with his business and delighted to capture Morgan.

Moore had been tracking the Plymouth frontman, as reported by SportMail, and last week made a near 800-mile round trip to watch him in action for their reserves.

The Manchester-born striker turned down teams in the Scottish Premier League to join Pools and is looking forward to the challenge.

Morgan said: “I’m very pleased, I am really happy. It helps when you have got a manager who travels half-way around the country to come and watch you play.

“I think obviously every player from the lower levels to the higher levels wants to be wanted and obviously Ronnie made that very clear.

“I had a lot of options but I think this is the right option regardless of where we are in the league.

“Hartlepool had a great result against Plymouth at the weekend and hopefully that is the start of something, maybe the ‘great escape’ as some people are calling it.

“After the next three games, we could be out of the relegation zone.”

Morgan, who has 52 league goals to his name, trained at Maiden Castle yesterday and will be in the squad for the trip to Portsmouth on Saturday.

Morgan, who was speaking to the club’s website, added: “I just can’t wait for the first game now, I’m excited.

“I am really hungry. I have played two reserve games lately and scored three goals and I can’t wait to get started with Hartlepool now.”

The former Yeading, Woking, Aldershot and Shrewsbury striker has scored twice this season – including against Pools – in 19 appearances for Plymouth but has made only five league starts.

Moore said: “Marvin was another player who had options both in the SPL and with teams higher up our division that wanted him.

“He’s shown a commitment to us though and we’re really pleased with that. He’s one of those types of player who will benefit the players we have here.

“It’s great that we have a little bit of competition for places up front now.”

Moore was also delighted to sign 29-year-old defender Mirfin on a one-month loan deal from Scunthorpe.

The experienced centre-back made 49 appearances during The Iron’s charge to promotion from League Two last term and has more than 400 senior games under his belt.

“We were looking for some experience to add to our defence and David certainly brings us that,” said Moore.

“He knows this division inside out and played a key part in Scunthorpe’s promotion last season so I certainly think he can come in and help Scott Harrison and Dan Jones.

“It also gives us the option to go three at the back if we need to do so there’s a flexibility there which can let us go 4-4-2, 4-3-3 or 3-5-2, when required.”

Meanwhile, SportMail understands goalkeeping coach Stephen Pears has left the club.

Pears was brought to Pools in the summer to be assistant manager to then boss Colin Cooper and stayed on as goalkeeper coach under Paul Murray and Moore.