Hastie’s proving a point
Jake Hastie admits he has to silence his critics after leaving Rangers for a fresh start in England with Hartlepool United.
The 23- year- old has failed to recapture the form that convinced Steven Gerrard to snap him up at Rangers three years ago after his breakthrough at Motherwell.
Hastie made only two appearances for Gers and has spent most of the last three years out on loan.
Now he has hooked up with Paul Hartley at League Two Pools and aims to hit the ground running.
He said: “I’ve got a point to prove, especial ly because in the last two seasons I have not been at my best.
“It’s a fresh start and I’m looking forward to it. The English game suits me too – it’s end to end.
“I enjoyed it at Rangers. There was a good group and everything was good.
“But I’m at an age now where I need to be playing games. That was the main thing for me – playing and enjoying myself.”
Hastie is one of six Scots signed by Hartley so far as the former Cove Rangers manager targets a play-off push in his first season.
But it’s Hartley’s No. 2 Gordon Young who Hastie is convinced will bring the best out of him in County Durham.
He worked with the former Motherwell youth supremo at Fir Park and said: “His system will suit the way I play.
“I know Gordon well and he was good with me when I was younger. He was a big part of coming here too.
“He always told me to be direct and if you lose the ball to just go again.
“He keeps telling me that now even though I’m now 23 years old.
“Gordon’s going to be on me every day but he says he knows what I can do so to have the freedom to just go and do it.”