Richard Money drops Hartlepool squad selection hint as he eyes FA Trophy glory

Richard Money has revealed his Hartlepool United selection plans

The new Pools boss - who will lead the side for the first time at the Phillips 66 Community Stadium - intends to hand an opportunity to the players who impressed during the 1-0 win at Maidenhead last weekend.

That is, of course, barring any injury concerns, but Money feels it would be wrong of him to alter personnel and shape after such a positive result - even if it isn’t the system he would usually utilise.

“I would say I have a team in mind, because they won 1-0 at Maidenhead at the weekend,” he said.

“I think it would be wrong of me to come and smash everything up and I wouldn’t have any intention of doing that in any case.

“I’ve spoken to Craig this morning and Ged. I will be involved on Saturday, obviously.

“I wouldn’t normally play that way, but let’s have a look at it and if they can persuade me that it’s the right way to go at the minute then it would be wrong to change it.

“Of course I’m going to be involved, but I’ll take counsel off those two very much for this weekend.

“We want to win, it’s a big game, don’t get me wrong, but it gives me a chance before the next league game to just have a look from within the group rather than outside the group.”

The trip to Leamington is the first step on the long road to Wembley for Pools, who crashed out of the same competition at the earliest stage last season - losing out to Workington.

And Money is keen to avoid another giant-killing this weekend as he sets his sights on a date at the national stadium.

The 63-year-old has already tasted success in the competition with Cambridge, in a squad which contained current Pools man Ryan Donaldson.

And the new Pools boss is now keen to see his current employers enjoy similar success in the cup competition.

“It’s a good game for us,” added Money.

“You can trawl through the press cuttings, there will be statements from me talking about this trophy when I was the manager at Luton and being very detrimental that it was a hindrance and everything else.

“But I can tell you now, we won it at Cambridge and it was fantastic.

“I said to the players, right now you won’t think about Wembley.

“But if you get to the semi-final, home and away Grimsby like we did at Cambridge, two full houses, take 20,000 to Wembley, win it - it’s a great occasion and a big feather in the cap.

“Think about that when you walk on the pitch on Saturday.

“Don’t think about Leamington away, think about walking out at Wembley.

“It’s a real feather in everyone’s cap.”