Details finalised for Pools games in Holland
By Clarence Rode
July 3 2009
After missing one season, Hartlepool resume their pre-season habit of going Dutch later this month when they set up a training camp in Holland and play their first two pre-season games there. Chris Turner is a big fan of the trips away from it all, and he was quick to reinstate them this summer after Pools went to Scotland instead last summer.
Details of their two games have now been finalised (for a second time) as follows:
Mon July 13 – FC Volendam in Heiloo, ko 7.0pm
Wed July 15 – SC Cambuur in Leeuwarden, ko 7.0pm
Both venues are within easy reach of Amsterdam and details on how to get there are on the Pools website.
Meanwhile, as the build-up to the new season continues, Pools have announced that season tickets can be picked up from Monday. Sales have apparently been very encouraging, helped no doubt by the string of signings made by Turner during the summer break.
Not only have the arrival of the newcomers strengthened a squad which was clearly not good enough last season, they have also given the fans something to get enthusiastic about – which they didn’t have at this time last season.
Turner has demonstrated several times since he took charge after Danny Wilson’s departure in the middle of last season that if nothing else he knows how to build up a relationship with the fans and how to say the right things to build up interest.
With James Brown recovered from his knee ligament injury, he’s as good as a new signing in addition to the other newcomers:
Adam Boyd – 30-goal striker (Leyton Orient)
Neil Austin – right-hard right-back (Darlo)
Leon McSweeney – classy right midfielder (Stockport)
Peter Hartley – ace defender, better than Nelse (Mackems)
Scott Flinders – best keeper in League One (Palace)
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
But they could do that in Scotland and it would be cheaper