Former Hartlepool United winger Gime Toure finds a new club - after recommendations from these two former Pools teammates

The 26-year-old has penned an initial one-year deal with League Two side Carlisle United, who were linked with a move for the forward in January.

Toure made 39 appearances in 13 games for Pools last season, before being released at the end of the 2019/20 season after expressing a desire to play at a higher level.

And he has now made the move to Brunton Park to become former Poolie Chris Beech’s 11th signing of the summer – with the Carlisle boss revealing he has sought references from Kennedy and Liddle before clinching the deal for Toure.

"Gime is one of those types of players that a manager is excited to work with,” said Beech.

"He has the ability to be anything he wants to be as a footballer.

“He's got size, he's quick, strong, powerful, and he has the abilities to go past people, and affords us with that real attacking capability.

“He's had a bit of a stop-start career so far, and he’s never really had the opportunity to play league football, even though he’s been desperate to make that step. Arguably his best season was the last one for Hartlepool, where he finished as their top scorer, and in the main he played wide for them.”

“As a player he's another who can play anywhere across the front, which adds real value and competition for places to what we already have.

“He probably gets more attention for the goals he scores, but he's also up there with assists and physically he presents problems for our opposition, because he's got that size, pace and power.

“He's familiar with this part of the world, or more importantly the weather, and that's a big thing for me. I also spoke with our ex-players Gary Liddle and Jason Kennedy about him, who'd both played with him at Hartlepool, and they also believe he'd excel at this level."

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