Pools still in a League One crisis
Monky - good sub
By Clarence Rode
January 13 2009
We said it here a fortnight ago, and we'll say it again - feel free to panic because Hartlepool United are going through a League One crisis. Their FA Cup run has earned them some good headlines and some even better money, but League One is where the club earns its bread and butter, and current form and League position are not very encouraging.
The glory seekers are looking forward to the FA Cup fourth round home tie with West Ham, live on the telly and a game that will take the club's earning from the Cup this season beyond £300,000.
But there's a much more important game to be played before then, on Friday night in fect when Northampton visit the Vic in a game Pools MUST win.
Losing 2-1 at high-flying Oldham in their quickly-rearranged game on Monday night was just the latest of many "beaten but not disgraced" games for Pools.
But the fact is that they lost again, were without injured Joel Porter and Antony Sweeney, and are despersately in need of a win in League One.
Beating a crappy Stoke team in the FA Cup was one thing, and Oldham are going well at present, but with less than four months of the season left and with just over two weeks left of the transfer window, it's time for action on and off the piutch if Pools don't want to be sucked into a relegation battle.
Losing badly at home to Crewe between Christmas and New Year should have started the alarm bells ringing and while the disply at Oldham wasn't anywhere near as bad, it was still a defeat, one less game in which to pick up points, one game closer to the end of the season.
Is Chris Turner the boss for the rest of the season, or are Pools looking to appoint somebody else? There's a lot to be said for continuity, but there's even more to be said for making up your bleeding mind when some big decisions regarding the team need to be taken.
Urgent memo to Ken Hodcroft - it's make-your-mind-up time Kenny baby.
PS - did you spot the cowd at Oldham? 4,211 for a team in the promotion race, with a great home record and with dean Windass making his debut isn't up to much is it?