What next for Hartlepool United's Adam Campbell and co following Yeovil Town snub?

The fact that Pools had to leave a number of senior players at home ahead of the long trip to the South West is, surely, a sign of the healthy competition and depth within the squad, but that won't have been much consolation to those left watching on from afar. Indeed, the fact that Grayson named three central-midfielders - Brad Walker, Jack Hunter and Nicky Featherstone, none of whom featured at Huish Park - on his bench in Somerset was, perhaps, a sign of his lack of faith in Campbell and Folarin, both of whom might have been able to provide Pools with another attacking option in the closing stages. Clearly, they have a lot of work to do to convince the new man they deserve a place in his squad, let alone his side.

Campbell has endured a hugely challenging first year at Victoria Park. The diminutive attacker arrived as a marquee signing last summer following a successful spell with Crawley, scoring seven goals in 42 League Two appearances and starting in the play-off final as the West Sussex side won an unlikely promotion. After turning down a new deal at the Broadfield Stadium, Campbell agreed to drop down two divisions to sign a contract at Pools and return to the North East, where he was born and has spent large parts of his playing career. Naturally, big things were expected of the 30-year-old, who made his competitive debut for Newcastle while still a teenager and went on to impress for the likes of Notts County, Darlington and Gateshead, helping the Heed win the National League North title in 2022, scoring 12 goals in 40 games.

Despite a positive pre-season, it soon became clear that Campbell wasn't naturally suited to then-manager Darren Sarll's direct brand of football. The experienced attacker suffered as Pools looked to get the ball from back to front as quickly as possible - a stark contrast to Scott Lindsey's Crawley, where the emphasis was on quick, purposeful passing and a relentless press - and Campbell found himself struggling to impact matches in the opening weeks of the 2024/25 season. Then, after an injury to Luke Charman, Campbell was moved out to the left, where he became increasingly peripheral and started to look frustrated. Indeed, having been substituted at half time during a disappointing draw with Wealdstone four games into the new campaign, Campbell was dropped to the bench.

Ever since then, Campbell has struggled to ignite his Pools career. There have been one or two flashes of promise, such as when he scored his first goal to salvage a replay in October's FA Cup fourth qualifying round clash with Brackley Town, then of the National League North. While he might have been hoping that goal was enough to earn him a start when Pools travelled to Northamptonshire for the replay, an explosive post-match interview delivered after the initial clash in which he blasted the first few months of his spell at Victoria Park as the most frustrating of his career seemed to work against him and he was utilised as a late substitute as his side were dumped out of the FA Cup, a result which spelled the end for Sarll.

Campbell must have been hoping that a change in management would herald a change in his own faltering fortunes, and there were signs of improvement under veteran Lennie Lawrence. Campbell's first National League goal secured a point for Pools against Maidenhead in Lawrence's first game at the helm and the attacker was a regular at the beginning of the veteran's tenure, scoring and providing an assist in November's remarkable 4-3 win over Solihull Moors. Yet although Campbell was impressing with his tireless work without the ball, he was still finding it difficult to influence proceedings with the ball at his feet, which should have been his bread and butter. As the pitch at Victoria Park, once hailed as one of the finest in the land, deteriorated throughout the winter months, so did Campbell's form and confidence. A hugely challenging first season back in the North East reached a new low in February when he appeared to be jeered by his own fans after being substituted in the second half of a frustrating goalless draw with strugglers Maidenhead; in all, he managed three goals in 40 games and was on the fringes of the side towards the end of the season.

Campbell wasn't the only one hoping to revive their fortunes following the appointment of Simon Grayson in June. Sam Folarin, who struggled to make much of an impact after signing for Pools in January, showed one or two flashes of promise in pre-season. Blessed with devastating pace, the 24-year-old has found it difficult to balance his speed and power with the need for a calm head and presence of mind in the final third, scoring just once in 16 appearances, 12 of which came from the bench, last term. Louis Stephenson, a popular figure at Pools who still has plenty of promise, endured a mixed 2024/25 campaign that saw him lose his place under Sarll, spend time out on loan, produce a glaring miss on his long-awaited return to the team against Maidenhead in February and pick up a needless red card in April's draw with Dagenham and Redbridge. Campbell Darcy, who impressed out on loan at Northern Premier League Premier Division side Whitby Town last season, is still waiting for his chance in the Pools first team.

Being left out of Saturday's season opener altogether, then, must have been a bitter blow, particularly for Campbell, Folarin and Stephenson, who will all expect to be in and around the first team. So, what next? Their omissions at the weekend has led some fans to speculate that Pools could look to trim their squad, with Campbell having been linked with a return to Gateshead for some time. However, it’s understood that the players all remain part of Simon Grayson's plans at this stage ahead of what promises to be a long and gruelling campaign. While Campbell and co might have to bide their time, form, fitness and fatigue means that it's almost inevitable Grayson will have to make changes to his side as the season progresses. For now at least, there does not seem to be a plan to ship any of the players out, either permanently or on loan.

Even so, the likes of Campbell, Folarin and Stephenson will surely be feeling frustrated after being snubbed for the trip to Somerset. It might well be a challenging road back into the first team picture, but at least there is a route that offers the chance of a return to the fold. Sooner or later, supporters can expect to see Campbell and co back in blue and white as the season progresses.

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