Fare thee well: Chris Westwood leaves HUFC

By Albatross
June 20 2005

It's the news that most Poolies wished hadn't come: Chris Westwood has decided to leave Hartlepool United for personal reasons. He looks set to sign up with Walsall. He leaves a big gap to fill in more ways than one: how wil Martin Scott look to plug it?

The news about Westwood had been rumoured for some time, but is still a massive blow. The central defender has played a big part in our success since being one of Chris Turner's first signings six years ago. It seems that it's personal and family reasons that have prompted Westie to move on; and sad though I am to see him leaving it's completely understandable for him to want the best for his family and if that means moving back to the West Midlands then who can deny him? Pools will however have their work cut out trying to find a suitable replacement.

Westwood has admitted that the decision is one of the hardest he's had to make, and while the circumstances are not exactly clear in this case I doubt anyone thinks that the reasons should be made known. Chris has always come across as a proper professional, and while I wish he had made a different choice the manner of his going is one that once more reflects well on him personally - he's not moaned in the press, not slapped in a transfer request, not thrown a tantrum - he's just given it his best all the way to the end of his contract and then announced his intentions without belittling his (now former) employers. PFA Rep Westie could teach some of the other members of his union much about how to leave a club with dignity and respect.

Westie's career has corresponded with our most successful spell since entering the Football League, and during his time with us he's done as much as anyone to be a part of that. Almost 300 appearances for Pools after signing for us from Telford shows that. He's played in a back three, a back four, with Graeme Lee and then Michael Nelson, and especially since promotion has been one of our best and most consistent performers.

Westie's reading of the game is good, and with the pace to get into the right place to nip trouble in the bud he's proved his worth time and again. The occasional silly errors have become more and more infrequent during his career at Pools; and with the advent of Pools World we've been able to see more of his effervescent character. Last season we saw him trying out different hairstyles to some amusement (I'd have loved to have seen him with a full "George Berry", a player he may well have watched in his younger days); this year we've seen him, to great delight, treble his goal tally and at one point look our most lethal finisher!

So it's farewell Chris Westwood, and thanks for all you've done for us. While I'm sure there will be a few people that will greet your next game at Victoria Park in the way that all former players experience when they return to their old team, no-one can deny that you've been a great servant for Hartlepool United. I (and plenty of other Poolies) wish you the very best of luck.