What can be expected from Hartlepool United this season: Preview

If there is one primary feeling that lingers over the seaside town of Hartlepool prior to this season it must surely be that of exhaustion.

Last year saw the Poolies put through a gamut of emotions; the indescribable hardships of being by far the worst team in the football league, a live and televised defeat by Blyth Spartans in the FA Cup, to the elation of a somewhat fortuitous yet highly respectable escape on the final day. Romantic as it was for the football purist, Hartlepool’s upturn in fortunes was also matched by explicit shortcomings of teams around them, specifically Cheltenham Town and Tranmere Rovers. The unpredictable nature of League 2’s lower echelons can be shown by the fact Pools were only victorious once in their last seven games en route to completing their survival. They survived by 4 points.

What Hartlepool need now is stability. Former owners IOR have walked away, perhaps taking the hint at the supporters growing sense of disdain towards them. Once a club savior and a significant protagonist in Hartlepool’s greatest ever era, departing owner Ken Hodcroft has left the club as somewhat of a pariah among the Monkey Hanging parts. If Pools are relegated next season, supporters may wish they had hushed their gums as opposed to spitting fire at the outgoing boss man.

New owners in JPNEG have arrived and spoken handsomely of their plans- it is probably best to side on the way of caution before getting too carried away by a company based down South that no one knows much about. As it stands, Pools have replaced 10 released players with 10 new players, the wage budget appearing almost symmetrical to the one the old regime implemented.

In one man remain all of Hartlepool’s hopes. With Ronnie Moore, Hartlepool have their very own Scouse messiah. He is the definition of Football League oak-tree-sturdiness and for the first time in many volatile years, supporters feel safe. However, an early excursion into the fast lane of League 2 is essential for Hartlepool in order to dispel any potential deja-vu that could be triggered from early defeats. For last season, early optimism under Colin Cooper and his ex-Middlesbrough student collective was quickly extinguished as Pools were cut adrift by 10 points by the New Year, facing an almost certain death.

In order for this season to be regarded a success, Moore must keep supporters onside and avoid serving up more portions of the long ball dross that has been so fervently offered over the past three years. Just how bad things have become at Hartlepool can be concluded by the fact the club’s inexplicably close swerving of non-league was greeted with a pitch invasion on the final day. Sure, it was a terrific achievement but now Pools must strive higher, not least to retain some respectability in the football world.

The new boss has already set about changing things. He has militarized his players after ordering them to take part in an army camp style pre-season, an attempt at refining the dwindling fitness levels that plagued the team throughout last season. Its old school tactics, but the fans love it. Some avid supporters have even taken their admiration for Moore to new levels, permanently inking their body parts in honor of the man. And you thought you were die-hard…

One imagines that the majority of supporters will respect a season of settling down on the North sea coast, after all it would be an achievement for Hartlepool to stick by one manager after last season’s four (Paul Murray endured a baptism of fire in his first ever managerial job, lasting four weeks before being dismissed after the national embarrassment of being knocked out of the FA Cup to Blyth Spartans on the BBC).

Thankfully, Ronnie Moore has carte blanche of the transfer market from the get go this time around and he has wasted no time in strengthening his goalscoring talents. Rakish Bingham and once prolific goalsmith Billy Paynter have been signed and are expected to line up as first choice forwards. Moore has also targeted the exuberance of youth with the vast majority of his signatures being under the age of 26. In young Scott Harrison, Pools have a center back that could progress far in the game. Expected to be named club captain, one hopes he doesn’t succumb to the exorbitant expectation that has already been firmly placed upon his inexperienced shoulders.

Pools have finally had their long proposed clearout of “deadwood” and go into the new season unsure of where their targets lie. A shiny new 3-5-2 formation and 10 fresh names on the team sheet await supporters who have parted with their cash admirably so far for season tickets. Perhaps most encouragingly for the fans is the long awaited return from injury of midfield maestro Michael Woods, who will be relied upon to supply the bullets for Hartlepool’s newly refurbished firepower.

As ever, though, Hartlepool could make fools of us all. It could well be great, but it could also be horrendous once again.

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