Football Season Guide

League 2

England

League 2

2022/2023

Hartlepool United

In

Kyle Letheren (Goalkeeper, Free agent); Alex Lacey (Defender, Notts County); Brody Paterson (Defender, Celtic); Euan Murray (Defender, Kilmarnock); Reagan Tumilty (Defender, Raith Rovers); Rollin Menayese (Defender, Walsall, Season-long loan); Callum Cooke (Midfielder, Bradford City); Jake Hastie (Midfielder, Rangers); Mouhamed Niang (Midfielder, Partick Thistle); Jack Hamilton (Attacker, Livingston, Season-long loan); Josh Umerah (Attacker, Wealdstone); Mikael Ndojli (Attacker, Aldershot Town)

Out

Nicholas Bilokapic (Goalkeeper, Huddersfield Town, Loan ended); Gary Liddle (r) (Defender, South Shields); Jake Hull (Defender, Rotherham United, Loan ended); Neill Byrne (r) (Defender, Tranmere Rovers); Timi Odusina (r) (Defender, Bradford City); Zaine Francis-Angol (Defender, Oldham Athletic); Byrn Morris (sp) (Midfielder, Burton Albion, Loan ended); Joe White (r) (Midfielder, Newcastle United, Loan ended); Luke Molyneux (k) (Midfielder, Doncaster Rovers); Martin Smith (sp) (Midfielder, South Shields); Isaac Fletcher (sp) (Attacker, Middlesbrough, Loan ended); Olufela Olomola Attacker, Wealdstone); Omar Bogle (r) (Attacker, Newport County)

Hartlepool United’s first season back in the Football League was something of a rollercoaster ride. There were less than seven weeks between winning the National League play-off final and kicking off the new League Two season but they made an encouraging start under manager Dave Challinor. They were strong at home but struggled on their travels and Challinor soon opted for a move to Stockport County. His replacement Graeme Lee took the team to within one game of reaching Wembley in the EFL Trophy but was sacked a week before the end of the season following a poor run of form. Paul Hartley has been handed the job having enjoyed remarkable success with Cove Rangers, leading the Aberdeen-based side to three promotions in four years. It seems rather unlikely that he will add another to the tally with Pools. Within a month he had lost several key players including defenders Neill Bryne and Timi Odusina. Attacking midfielder and player of the season Luke Molyneux opted for a move to Doncaster Rovers and striker Omar Bogle made a surprise move to Newport County. It has left Hartley with the task of rebuilding the squad although he has kept hold of defender David Ferguson, promising midfielder Tom Crawford and young striker Joe Grey. Perhaps unsurprisingly he has returned to Scotland to make half-a-dozen signings in experienced goalkeeper Kyle Letheren, defenders Brody Paterson, Euan Murray and Reagan Tumilty and midfielders Jake Hastie and Mouhamed Niang. Pools will be something of an unknown quantity this season and Hartley will be hoping they can surprise a few people.

Target

Survival. Pools really need some stability but with so many changes they are at risk of suffering from second-season syndrome.