Hartlepool To Continue Search For Free Agents To Bolster Squad

Hartlepool United boss Keith Curle has confirmed to the Hartlepool Mail that the club will look to remain active in the free agents market but any deals could be put on hold until the end of the month while fixture congestion eases.

The League Two strugglers have already added former Sheffield United and Wolves striker Leon Clarke to their ranks as a free agent, with the 38-year-old signing an incentive-based deal until the end of the season.

Veteran striker Clarke, who has netted 60 goals in 285 total appearances in the Championship, has been without a club since leaving Bristol Rovers last summer after only making 11 appearances for the club, scoring two goals in the process as Joey Barton’s side was promoted to League One following a strong second half of the season.

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But despite the signing of Clarke, Hartlepool boss Curle said the club are still looking in and around the free agents market but has admitted he might have to wait to add to his squad whilst the fixture schedule calms down.

League One and Two sides have an unlimited amount of time to land any free agents, but the big risk with it all is that some of the players in particular aren’t quite match fit so it is a tough decision for managers to make.

Curle needs reinforcements in order to strengthen his sides chances of avoiding relegation down to the National League this season, and some experience is definitely what he needs between now and the conclusion of the season.

Curle told the Hartlepool Mail: “We’re still looking. There’s still players out there that have decided to come out of contract at their club so they are available and the market changes again.

“Friday’s are going to be a prep day, Monday’s are going to be prep days for the game [on Tuesday], players have a day off on the Wednesday. Physically I can look at somebody but then they’d probably have one day of training on a Thursday.

“Leave that until you get a free week when you can potentially get somebody in on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to have a look and make a decision.

“But I know there are still some players out there who could potentially offer added skill sets to us.”

Hartlepool currently lye just outside the relegation zone in 22nd, sitting one point clear of Crawley Town in 23rd, with Crawley playing three games less than Keith Curle’s men.

The club’s last result in the league was a 2-2 draw away at AFC Wimbledon, with Hartlepool moving out of the relegation zone following a last-gasp Dan Kemp equaliser coming back from 2-0 down to ensure they left London with an important point on the road.

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With Hartlepool very much in the thick of a League Two relegation scrap, they need all the help they can possibly get to beat the drop and remain in the EFL.

The club were very active in January, especially on deadline day with the captures of Dan Kemp, Connor Jennings, Brendan Kiernan and Oli Finney to add what they already have to give them the best chance of survival but even with that, it’s clear to see that Curle wants more.

With the signing of Leon Clarke also as a free agent, it also brings that experience to the side in which for most of the season, Hartlepool have lacked and it just goes out to show there are still some top free agents out there.

Along with the likes of striker Josh Umerah, who has 13 goals in all competitions for the club this season, If Hartlepool can sign the right free agents between now and the end of the season to add to their squad, it could potentially be the difference between EFL football or National League football.

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