Inside Hartlepool United's January transfer window: Striker rejections, hijacked deals and a final flurry

No, unfortunately, this is not a revelatory dive into the Hartlepool United manager’s phone bill, but what we will consider is how things played out for Curle and his staff after 11 new faces came through the doors at the Suit Direct Stadium.

January was pinned as an opportunity for a ‘fresh start’ but much of the transfer speculation actually began in December with the Hartlepool boss spotted on scouting trips at Sheffield United under-21s fixture with Newcastle United and Darlington’s league clash with Kettering.

Curle doubled up on his trips to watch Darlington as he finalised an approach for Dan Dodds before also observing former club Oldham Athletic, with striker Hallam Hope believed to be a player in consideration before Curle confirmed to The Mail he would not be joining the club.

Players not joining the club became an early theme as Curle admitted a delay to a potential signing following the New Year’s Day draw with Harrogate Town whilst Brad Walker, a player The Mail understands the club held an interest in, completed a move to Tranmere Rovers - not the first player to choose Prenton Park over the Suit Direct Stadium in the window.

It’s understood the club made initial approaches for ex-loan striker Luke Armstrong - Curle somewhat complimentary when quizzed on things, before saying: “Is he a player who is on our radar? I don’t think Harrogate would sell him.”

And that proved to be the case. Hartlepool were one of a handful of clubs to register their interest only for Harrogate to rebuff any approach.

The striker hunt became a constant of Hartlepool’s window, whether it be Curle’s advances for players he and head of recruitment Chris Trotter had identified, or whether it was chairman Raj Singh's suggestions the club had made approaches for strikers from League One and League Two.

One of those was Mansfield Town’s Danny Johnson with Curle confessing he had contacted Stags boss Nigel Clough over the 29-year-old's availability ahead of his loan return from Walsall.

The message though, it seemed, was clear that Johnson would remain at the One Call Stadium. But things may have changed when Colchester United were believed to have a bid accepted, only for Johnson to reject the move.

Colchester and Gillingham became a talking point for several clubs in the division throughout the window.

Mansfield boss Clough suggested to The Chad the duo had ‘changed the landscape’ of the January window with their offers. Gillingham, in particular, made big strides under the new ownership of American businessman Brad Galinson having tabled a reported bid worth up to six-figures for Oli Hawkins and George Lapslie.

And it was something which Hartlepool found out first hand in their 2-0 defeat at the Priestfield with new signings Hawkins and Tom Nichols starring.

Curle was asked by The Mail why a player of that supposed calibre had not yet arrived at the Suit Direct Stadium.

He said: “Would we have been able to compete to get Oli Hawkins here? Financially, yeah. Would he have come here? No.”

Curle would later be asked further on both Gillingham and Colchester’s moves, with both seemingly looking to spend their way out of trouble.

“There’s a few people who are going big. I’m not saying they’re overpaying, or not paying what is their regular, but I understand the situation they’re in and they’ve got the availability to do that,” he said.

“I still say there is value for money out there. I’m not saying we’re not going down that model of paying for players and putting offers in for players.

“I put a value on players depending on where they’re at on their career path.”

But while Curle continued his search for value, Gillingham and Colchester both secured significant wins over Hartlepool on the field.

Curle and his staff had made breakthroughs in the window, however. Dodds was joined by Edon Pruti, who the club beat interest from League One to sign, as well as Peter Hartley and Matt Dolan.

But it was a striker which continued to be the topic of discussion.

There were tentative links with Bradford City’s Andy Cook, after the club expressed an interest in the 32-year-old in the summer, but it was a move which was never really on the cards.

Ahead of deadline day, Curle confessed to being on a 'different page' to some players in terms of their ‘astronomical expectations’ with Johnson, perhaps, one who priced himself out of a move before Walsall were unable to bring him back to the Bescot Stadium.

As for those in League One, Hartlepool saw Tranmere take Bristol Rovers’ Harvey Saunders from under their noses, having matched the fee and wage demands, with The Mail understanding there was some interest in Cambridge United’s Joe Ironside – but quite how far negotiations went is unclear.

A season ending injury to Rollin Menayese meant Curle was also searching for a defender heading into deadline day, having confessed in the aftermath he had opened talks with a potential signing.

That potential signing has been revealed to have been Timi Odusina.

The Mail understands the club were in talks with Bradford City with a deal very close to being agreed before, ultimately, a move collapsed with Curle looking to add to the arrival of Arsenal’s Taylor Foran.

It was all hands on deck on deadline day, as you would expect, with Curle joined by a number of the club’s senior figures at their Maiden Castle training base - including chairman Singh.

One of their first priorities was to deal with the situation involving Josh Umerah following Burton Albion’s offer.

Umerah reported for duty as normal which was the first indicator of a positive outcome with the club unwilling to do business for their star striker having still not brought in another forward of their own despite several setbacks.

The Mail understands there was consideration for Middlesbrough youngster Calum Kavanagh, who ended the day at Newport County, with reports elsewhere linking the club to Fleetwood Town’s Ged Garner before his record switch to Barrow.

Solihull Moors’ Andrew Dallas had been another player the club held talks over, but the club were of the assumption Dallas would head to Grimsby Town - something which would not materialise as the Mariners swooped for Cheltenham’s George Lloyd. Dallas staying with the National League side, instead.

Pools would bring in five players on deadline day, but the hope was there would be more, with Odusina, as suggested, and another close to a move before the deal was hijacked by a rival heading towards the 11pm deadline.

There were some decisions to make with regards to players potentially leaving the club.

There was reported interest for defender Euan Murray but there was also, it’s understood, interest in captain Nicky Featherstone, with the club turning down offers for the midfielder.

Featherstone is one of a number who are out of contract in the summer including Jamie Sterry, who the club were able to keep hold of after Stockport County were priced out of a move for the 27-year-old, with the focus now on the final three months of the season on the field.