Hartlepool United's transfer business assessed as Graeme Lee and club chiefs make some key signings

And you have to say, of the seven new arrivals, that Pools’ business throughout the winter window has been astute, particularly in the final week of proceedings.

Ten days ago there was an element of trepidation creeping in around the Suit Direct Stadium. Pools had just been held at home to Stevenage in League Two and, without a win in six games, the squad needed a lift.

Success in the EFL Trophy quarter-final against Charlton Athletic provided a spark but it was the transfer activity over the subsequent days which has really given Pools a boost heading into what is sure to be a memorable occasion at Selhurst Park this weekend when Lee’s side face Crystal Palace in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Pools’ transfer window essentially began with the appointment of Lee as manager in early December.

It was at Lee’s unveiling where the club suggested they were ‘very serious’ about the January transfer window and that there was money to spend.

Those are bold claims. They are claims in which fans will cling onto in a ‘live and die by the sword’ kind of mantra. The onus was on the club to deliver on their promise or potentially face a backlash from disgruntled supporters.

But although results have been sketchy of late, Lee has been persistent in expressing his desire to ‘only bring the right players in,’ and while that may be a quote that is scribed from manager’s press conferences up and down the country over the month of January, you get the feeling it was particularly true with Lee.

Take the deadline day capture of Morris for example. Pools have been chasing the Hartlepool-born midfielder for a number of weeks but Lee stuck true to his belief and was able to see the deal over the line with just minutes to spare.

Not only does Morris’ capture provide a snapshot of Lee’s philosophy in his approach to his first transfer market as a manager, but it also adds quality to the Pools squad.

And that is a theme throughout the majority of Pools’ activity. In Morris and Omar Bogle Pools have two tried and tested Football League players, players who realistically could still command a move in League One at the least.

The signing of Bogle is significant in many ways both on and off the field. On the field, Bogle represents something of a coup for Pools in that they have persuaded a respected striker from a higher level to drop down to League Two while off the field a two-and-a-half-year deal shows the ambition of the club and supports their claim about how they were serious about investment in this January window.

Make no mistake, the signing of Bogle pointed the spotlight on Pools and demonstrates a desire to progress the club following their return to the Football League.

While Bogle will undoubtedly be the focal point for Lee to build his attack around, the signing of Marcus Carver is also savvy in that he offers further options to a squad who have scored just 25 goals in League Two this season.

But beyond the seasoned heads, there has been a sprinkle of guile added to the squad.

At some stage in the window Lee was always likely to return to his former club, Middlesbrough, for a helping hand and that came with Isaac Fletcher.

Lee knows Fletcher, of course, from his time at Boro’s academy and therefore knows what he can bring to the Pools side.

And following the exit of Matty Daly, Fletcher’s presence, and reputable ability, appear to fill an essential void in the Pools squad.

Fletcher was joined by the exciting prospects of Jake Hull from Rotherham United and Newcastle United midfielder Joe White.

White offers further competition for places in that advanced midfield role vacated by Daly and could allow Lee, along with Fletcher, to shake up his system.

The late arrival of Huddersfield Town youngster Bilokapic fills another important void for Pools following Jonathan Mitchell’s exit and is the area where Lee has perhaps had to remain the most patient.

Lee missed out on targets Trevor Carson and Richard O’Donnell but has consistently stressed there were options available to Pools, with Bilokapic the man now tested with challenging Ben Killip. Bilokapic’s arrival also potentially allows teenager Patrick Boyes to head out on-loan to further his development.

The ultimate question at the end of any transfer window is whether or not the squad is in a better place than it was prior, and in this case the answer is yes.

Pools have seen a lot of bodies head for the exit door from the Suit Direct Stadium in recent weeks with loan players being recalled to their parent clubs and short-term contracts expiring but crucially they have held onto the majority of their key assets.

But while it may look like a big overhaul with seven players in and eight players out, when you match it up like for like, you would be hard-pressed to find anybody who believes the squad is not stronger.

Of course, Lee would have liked to have kept some of those loan stars, Millwall’s Tyler Burey atop of that list, but the uncertain nature of this particular window with the extremities of COVID-19 has made things difficult.

Add in the pressures of a fanbase keen to see the club deliver on their word and it’s fair to say Lee has negotiated his first transfer window with great success.

Now, onto the football.

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