Will money be reinvested into the Hartlepool United squad following Liam Noble's transfer to Morpeth Town? Manager Craig Hignett gives his answer

Noble was believed to be one of the higher earners at Pools after agreeing a new deal at Victoria Park over the summer.

But less than two months into the competitive season and the midfielder has departed to join the Highwaymen on a four-year deal.

With Hignett spending all of his allocated playing budget over the summer, Noble’s departure has provided some financial wiggle-room though it remains unclear whether that will be used to bring in a new player despite targets being identified.

“No, it doesn’t really make things easier or free anything up for us to bring someone in,” Hignett confirmed.

“It’s a tough one for me because I want to bring someone else into the club and we’re looking at people to come in but we’ve got to get more out if I want to do that.

“My hands are tied as far as the finances go. The finances are what they are and I know that and I’ve got to work within them.

“We’ve got a lot of midfielders who are chomping at the bit so it helps us in that sense by reducing the numbers. It reduces our outgoings too so it works both ways.

“We’ll just have to wait and see what happens over the coming weeks or so to see if I’ll be able to bring someone else in.”