Former Carlisle United boss Keith Curle returns to Brunton Park tonight still searching for forward power.
The build-up to Hartlepool’s clash at Brunton Park tonight suggested Curle had four strikers in his sights.
In fact he’s signed a goalkeeper on loan from Leicester City and lost a midfielder to Oldham Athletic.
Mark Shelton was extremely popular with the Hartlepool fans but has not been figuring in Curle’s starting line-ups.
Shelton was one of seven players who figured in Pool’s promotion season of 2020-21 back to the Football League having made over 100 appearances for the club after joining from Salford City.
The 26-year-old made 41 appearances last year but has hardly featured in the current campaign, which ultimately has prompted the move to the National League.
Shelton has agreed a two-and-a-half-year deal with the Latics after three years at Hartlepool.
On his departure Curle said: “He’s taken the option, he’s gone and got himself a contract at another football club whereby he’s going to be playing games. Excellent for Mark and excellent for us in that it gives us another opportunity to fill another hole.”
Fellow midfielder Christopher Missilou has also left the club and with an injury for Callum Cooke it leaves Curle short in that area too.
He told the Hartlepool Mail: “We’re in negotiations and discussions that are ongoing that can potentially see three or four players being added to the squad. That can happen.”
The one confirmed arrival is loanee Leicester City’s Jakub Stolarczyk who is set to compete with Ben Killip for the keeper’s jersey for the rest of the season.
