Keith Curle coy over the future of ex-Newcastle United defender following Stockport County interest

Curle watched on as his Hartlepool side fell to a significant defeat at the hands of bottom club Gillingham - and he did so without key defender Sterry who remains sidelined from an injury picked up in the defeat to Mansfield Town recently.

Sterry has endured an injury-hit campaign having made just 13 appearances in all competitions.

The former Newcastle United man made his return from a calf problem in December where he completed back-to-back 90 minutes in the wins over Crawley Town and Rochdale before being forced off once more against Mansfield with a suggested groin problem.

Sterry has not been included in any of the previous three Hartlepool squads with speculation ahead of the trip to Gillingham that he was also the subject of interest from Stockport County and former manager Dave Challinor.

It’s understood that interest from the Hatters was genuine before the Edgeley Park club, instead, completed the signing of Doncaster Rovers full-back Kyle Knoyle.

Sterry is one of a number of players who are out of contract in the summer so is free to negotiate terms elsewhere, but manager Curle would not comment on any potential exit for the defender this month, or indeed in the summer, instead updating The Mail on Sterry’s fitness.

“Jamie Sterry is still recovering from injury,” Curle said when asked about interest in the defender.

“He’s not field-based training yet. He’s doing straight line running, but he’s not field-based running yet.

“He’s a key player, a good player, who’s desperately trying to get back fit. We’ve got a new physio who is working with Jamie trying to identify certain things that we think we can improve.”

With Sterry’s injury problems this season, Hartlepool recently completed the signing of Middlesbrough’s Dan Dodds, who made his debut in the defeat at Gillingham, which means Sterry could face competition for his place in the Pools line-up when he returns from injury, should he remain at the Suit Direct Stadium beyond the end of January.