Joe Ramage: The disappointing nature of Hartlepool United's promotion winning squad being dismantled

Curle remains confident there will be further additions to strengthen the squad and make it more dynamic as he looks to preserve their Football League status, and he may need to deliver on that following the recent decision to allow Mark Shelton to leave the club.

Shelton became the latest of Hartlepool’s promotion winning contingent to leave the Suit Direct Stadium and it was a one which seemingly split opinions as a result.

Shelton has been in and out of the first team picture this season due to injury and favouritism, or lack thereof, but one thing you were always guaranteed with him was 100 per cent commitment - as demonstrated when tasked with doing a job at both centre-back and right-back in recent weeks.

Shelton often spoke admirably of the club, something he again emphasised in his farewell message to supporters when departing for Oldham Athletic, and it just feels as though this move in particular was maybe a little premature.

Shelton was heading out of contract with the club in the summer, having only penned a one-year extension last year, but with Christopher Missilou leaving, Callum Cooke now facing the prospect of being out of action for a number of weeks with an ankle problem and Mouhamed Niang only just returning from a three month hamstring lay-off, the midfield area is light.

It means if Curle is unable to bring another option in for that area of the field there is a huge significance placed upon Nicky Featherstone, Mohamad Sylla and January recruit Matt Dolan.

One way Curle can counteract that, however, is by shuffling his pack somewhat when it comes to what system he chooses to play.

Against Rochdale we saw Curle move both Jamie Sterry and David Ferguson into, effectively, wide midfield roles as Featherstone and Dolan dovetailed as a two in midfield.

And with the energy of Dan Dodds, in particular, marauding forward from his right-sided centre-back role, it was a system which appeared to lend itself to Hartlepool’s squad at this moment in time.

Sterry and Dodds worked will in tandem and offered signs of encouragement that could blossom into a significant partnership in the second half of the season - should Sterry remain both fit and at the club beyond the deadline having recently been the subject of interest from Stockport County.

Losing Sterry would be another huge blow for Hartlepool if it were to happen, on the back of Shelton’s departure.

While players often move on in football, the rate at which Hartlepool’s promotion winning squad has been dismantled in the 18-months since has been surprising and a little upsetting. Those players have a special affinity with the club given their exploits and it is a shame so few now remain – just six.

The task in front of Curle and his staff now is to try and establish a new order at Hartlepool, with new players who can, perhaps, go on to achieve a similar level of appreciation from supporters - first of all by avoiding the drop this season.