Saved: Pools takeover set for go-ahead
Hartlepool United face a race against time to get Raj Singh’s takeover ratified in order to strengthen their ranks.
The National League deadline for signing players is 5pm this afternoon.
And in order for Pools to bring in much-needed reinforcements, the club must prove they have the funds to see out the season.
The league are unlikely to agree to this without Singh’s Pools takeover being complete.
Pools have been under a league enforced transfer embargo since October, having been unable to prove they will be able to fulfil their fixtures, due to current owner John Blackledge pulling the plug on the club financially.
Prospective new director of football Craig Hignett is keen to add players to Pools’ ranks, with at least two new faces in his sights. A takeover agreement was reached just hours before Pools’ relegation sixpointer against Barrow last night, with the team completing a great day with a 2-1 victory over their relegation rivals. Luke James netted against his former club to give Barrow the lead, but Conor Newton equalised right on half-time and Carl Magnay bagged the winner five minutes into the second half, lifting Pools three points clear of the drop zone.
Caretaker boss Matthew Bates said: “We knew about the things that were going on, but, for us, it was all about the game.
“The one thing that will be nice is for all of this to come to an end so we can concentrate on the football until the end of the season.”