Former Sheffield Wednesday Defender Finds New Club

Former Sheffield Wednesday defender Joe Mattock has signed a short-term loan deal with National League side Hartlepool United, as reported by the Hartlepool Mail.

Hartlepool dropped out of the Football League last season and are currently 11th in the National League, trying to plot a return. Manager John Askey knows what it takes to get out of the division, having led Macclesfield to promotion in 2017/18, and he’s currently shuffling his squad around, allowing Mattock to join from Harrogate Town.

Defenders Kieran Burton and Edon Pruti have left Pool on loan deals, joining Darlington and Farnborough, which has allowed Askey to move for Mattock. The 33-year-old comes with a vast amount of Football league experience, much of it in the Championship.

“I’m massively looking forward to it,” Mattock said of his move north. “It’s a big club – I’ve played at the Suit Direct Stadium multiple times, and it’s always been bouncing. It’s a good opportunity for me to get some games under my belt. I can’t wait to get started.”

Mattock, who operates primarily as a left-back, came through the ranks at Leicester City, appearing 66 times for them. He helped the Foxes to promotion to the Championship before a move to West Brom, with whom he was promoted to the Premier League. He didn’t make a top-flight appearance for the Baggies, instead appearing on loan with Sheffield United, Brighton and Portsmouth in the Championship.

He then played 66 times for Sheffield Wednesday before a move to Rotherham, where he was a mainstay in Paul Warne’s side that flitted between the second and third tier. He was promoted twice whilst with the Millers and helped them lift the EFL Trophy. Latterly, he has been a part of the Harrogate Town side, starting just two League Two matches. In his last outing for the Sulphurites, he started and scored, seeing his side go down 5-3 against Accrington in the EFL Trophy.

He is likely to go straight into the Hartlepool squad this week for their trip to Halifax before meeting Rochdale, the other side relegated last season, at the weekend.

Writer’s View

Joe Mattock has been a fine professional over the years, with a history of gritty performances in teams happy to fight for everything. His time at Rotherham exemplifies that more than anything – Warne’s side were fighters, and Mattock was integral to that ethos.

Askey has seemingly been unhappy with the left side of his defence, with both Joe Gray and David Ferguson appearing at left-back. Mattock could fit in there, or given his advancing years, he may operate at left centre back, a role currently occupied by recent temporary arrival Zack Johnson.

Either way, he’ll bring real experience to the Pools side, and a mentality which will surely help them press on after a decent, if unspectacular, opening couple of months of the season.

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