Keith Curle reveals Hartlepool United stance over ex-Sunderland, Sheffield Wednesday and Portsmouth star

Maguire was cleared to return to football following the conclusion to an FA investigation into alleged breaches of betting rules.

An independent commission initially served Maguire with a £750 fine and a warning, but a successful FA appeal means he has now been served with a six-week suspension from all football activities.

That suspension has been backdated to November, meaning the 34-year-old is now free to resume his playing career.

But that will not be at the Suit Direct Stadium after Curle revealed to The Mail following Hartlepool's 3-1 defeat at Carlisle United he will not be making a return for the Scotsman.

Maguire was signed by previous manager Paul Hartley in September following his exit from Lincoln City by mutual consent after the initial FA charges, but was unable to feature for the club after his contract remained in dispute with the PFA.

Speaking on the matter at the club's fan forum event in October, senior advisor Lee Rust said: “We got to an agreement with Chris under Paul Hartley.

“We agreed terms that went off to the EFL and then the PFA, ultimately, have to agree to contract changes and they came back and said that they were not accepting the changes in the contract template.

“The PFA have to agree any changes to a standard template and with Chris’ ban pending we’d agreed terms that reflected that potential ban, but the PFA turned around and said we can’t accept that change in contract template."

Hartlepool boss Curle also said: “It’s a conversation I’ve had with Chris and his agent and the agreement that we’ve come to is the contract is off the table and it’s going to be revisited after his pending alleged case.”

And now Maguire’s case has been concluded, Curle was asked whether he will consider a return move for Maguire.

“No. I spoke to his agent about three weeks ago, he informed me about his court case but I told him no,” Curle revealed to The Mail.

“I like him as a player, I like him as a person. But he’s not what we need as a footballer right now.”