Nathan Sheron: midfielder's new deal could serve as much-needed shot in the arm for Hartlepool United

The tireless 27-year-old was one of four high profile players to have been offered a new deal at the end of the campaign, along with Mani Dieseruvwe, Joe Grey and David Ferguson, and becomes the first to commit his future to the club. Given all the chaos, confusion and controversy that has overshadowed Pools in the last few months, there were fears that they could stand to lose all of their prize assets this summer. Now, there are hopes that Sheron's new deal might be a sign that more good news is around the corner.

Pools have a lot of work to do this summer and have already lost ground on their National League rivals in the wake of one of the most uncertain and divisive periods in the club's recent history following March's sudden and unexpected resignation of chairman Raj Singh; Sutton confirmed their ninth signing of the summer on Monday, while the likes of Altrincham, Boston, Carlisle, Eastleigh and York have all been busy since the end of the season. Yet the fact that Sheron, arguably the club's outstanding performer last term, was willing to commit his future to Pools in light of all the recent drama suggests that, at last, there could be light at the end of the tunnel.

The tough-tackling midfielder becomes the 11th player to sign on ahead of the new season and his commitment is perhaps the most significant - and, certainly, the most positive - piece of news Pools have had all summer. Given his hugely impressive first season in the North East - Sheron made 44 appearances and was a reliable, committed and consistent presence in both central-midfield and at full-back - there were considerable fears that several National League rivals might capitalise on the recent chaos at Pools to lure him elsewhere. Clearly, Pools still have a lot of work to do with less than two months to go until the 2025/26 season kicks off, but Sheron is at least one important piece of the puzzle.

A new deal for Sheron also represents good news for Jamie Miley, who had his contract option triggered at the end of the campaign after impressing in the second half of the season following his move from Newcastle. Having struggled for opportunities at League Two Newport - admittedly, the 21-year-old wasn't helped by a string of injuries in South Wales - Miley returned to the North East in a bid to begin carving out his own career. While he might still have some way to go before reaching the same heights as his brother, Lewis, who was part of the Newcastle side that won the League Cup and qualified for the Champions League last term, the early signs have been good. After scoring a 96th minute equaliser on his debut against Braintree, Miley was an unused substitute for successive weekends but has since hit his stride at Victoria Park, starting 13 matches and steadily growing in stature.

Certainly, the diminutive midfielder's flourishing partnership with Sheron looks to have plenty of potential; Miley's purposeful passing and proactive approach dovetails well with Sheron's tenacity, industry and determination. With both men tied down to new deals, Pools can at least feel confident of having a solid base from which to build on in the engine room, while it should also serve to lighten the load on veteran Nicky Featherstone, who will celebrate his testimonial fixture in July ahead of his 37th birthday in September. With experienced defender Tom Parkes another to have committed his future to Pools, there is the makings of a solid spine - even if Pools still have a long way to go before their squad can start to be considered genuinely competitive.

For many fans, Sheron was the shining light last season. Pools were often criticised for being too soft, too easy to play against in the 2023/24 season and Sheron helped beef up the engine room last term. While the former Fleetwood, Harrogate and Oldham man has more to his game than the ability to be destructive and break up play, he is one of the National League's best defensive-minded midfielders. More than that, he seems to embody the spirit and determination that has for so long defined Hartlepool United. Fans immediately warmed to his grit and determination, while he proved his commitment to the cause when he played the full 90 minutes in March's win over Halifax less than 72 hours after he and his wife Charlotte welcomed their second child, Ollie. More pessimistic supporters had resigned themselves to losing Sheron; now, his surprise decision to commit to Pools at a relatively early stage in the summer has the potential to serve as a much-needed shot in the arm.

The news should also come as a boost to new manager Simon Grayson, who replaced head coach Anthony Limbrick last Thursday and will have his work cut out if he's to convince the sceptical fanbase that he is the right man to take Pools forward. Sheron played under Grayson at Fleetwood, albeit the midfielder was limited to just one substitute appearance and was released at the end of the 2020/21 campaign. Nonetheless, Grayson will be well aware of the challenge ahead of him and will surely have had no desire to make it even more difficult by losing one of his best and most popular players. Not only does Sheron's new contract represent a genuine morale boost, it might also serve as something of a statement of intent; if Pools are able to convince a player of Sheron's calibre to commit his future to the club, then perhaps things aren't quite as bad as recent developments might suggest.

So, while it's far too soon to get carried away, Pools fans finally have some good news to celebrate - and it was perhaps telling that the announcement of Sheron's renewal was timed half an hour before the departure of Dan Dodds. Even if there's a long, long way to go, there's no harm in celebrating that Pools have one of the first and most important pieces of the puzzle in place. There is, for the first time in months, a sliver of hope on the horizon.

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