Football Season Guide

League 2

England

League 2

2021/2022

Hartlepool United

In

Jake Lawlor (Defender, Harrogate Town); Neill Byrne (Defender, FC Halifax Town); Martin Smith (Midfielder, Chesterfield); Mark Cullen (Attacker, Port Vale); Olufela Olomola (Attacker, Scunthorpe United)

Out

Brad James (r) (Goalkeeper, Middlesbrough, Loan ended); Brad Young Goalkeeper, Leicester City); Henrich Ravas (Goalkeeper, Derby County, Loan ended); Aaron Cunningham (Defender, released); Jake Cooper (Defender, Rotherham United, Loan ended); Lewis Cass (r) (Defender, Newcastle United, Loan ended); Ryan Johnson (r) (Defender, Port Vale); Claudio Ofosu (Midfielder, released); Luke Williams (Midfielder, released); Ryan Donaldson (sp) (Midfielder, Morpeth Town); Danny Elliott (Attacker, released); Harvey Saunders (sp) (Attacker, Fleetwood Town, Loan ended); Luke Armstrong (r) (Attacker, Salford City, Loan ended); Mason Bloomfield (Attacker, Barnet); Rhys Oates (k) (Attacker, Mansfield Town)

Dave Challinor might be feeling he has jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire after guiding Hartlepool United back into the Football League. They celebrated beating Torquay United in a penalty shoot-out to win the National League play-off final at Bristol City’s Ashton Gate in June before reality hit with the new League Two season set to kick off barely seven weeks later. Challinor deserves huge praise for leading Pools to promotion. They hadn’t got close since being relegated in 2017 and he built an exciting team full of attacking flair. Sadly it won’t be the same team that starts life back in the Football League with some notable departures. The loss of player-of-the-season Rhys Oates is a huge blow, having opted for a move to Mansfield Town. Striker Luke Armstrong’s departure was expected, having been on loan from Salford City, but hopes of making it permanent were dashed when he signed for Harrogate Town. Ryan Johnson leaves a hole in the centre of defence after joining Port Vale whilst the loss of loan goalkeeper Brad James and defender Lewis Cass are further blows. Challinor has been racing against time to ensure he has a competitive team to face Crawley Town on the opening day. Just four additions have been made at time of writing in defenders Niall Byrne and Reagan Ogle, midfielder Martin Smith and striker Olufela Olomola. There might already be a sense of panic creeping in at Victoria Park and it looks like being a testing season ahead for Pools.

Target

Survival. Challinor’s credentials will be sorely tested with such a short close season. January will be key if they are to keep their heads above water.