Take the High Road: Ross finally leaves Hartlepool

By Albatross
August 1 2005

So at long last the sad and sorry saga of Jack Ross is over. With the cancellation of his contract Ross is now free to head back to Scotland, while Hartlepool United are free of a player who initially promised much but ended up leaving many fans with nothing more than a bad taste in the mouth.

Ross was as far as I am aware the first player to be signed by Hartlepool after signing a pre-contract agreement. Skipper of Clyde, the Economics Graduate was much in demand and arrived at Pools in preference to a number of Scottish clubs including Falkirk, who are probably now favourites to sign him. However Ross missed out on the pre-season tour of Holland with a knee injury that would eventually require surgery.

With Barron out after needing operations himself, Ross - believed by most to have been signed to play in midfield - played at right back, and indeed spent pretty much all of his career at the club there. Well, at least the part that wasn't spent in the Physio's room. The knee injury that he'd started the season with needed surgery; and then, late in November, came the revelation that Ross was homesick and had handed in a transfer request. It was a bitter blow for Neale Cooper, as Ross had looked to fit in well on the pitch and with Barron still struggling for fitness the prospect of losing the Scot was not a great one.

To be fair though, when Ross did return from injury he kept his head down and got on with the job in hand. He even indicated to the press that having spoken to friends who were working away from home he realised his lot wasn't so bad after all. It was still assumed that he'd be looking for a move over the Summer, but in the meantime he was at least doing his job and there wasn't really much animosity towards him from the fans.

The blow that ended in his departure under a cloud came against Stockport in February. Diving in to make a tackle against Harpal Singh, he injured his ankle and looked to be out for several weeks. It would prove to be the last time he'd pull on a Pools Shirt.

His recovery seemed to be taking a long time, but unknown to most fans Ross wasn't even in the North-East any more. Possibly missing the cameraderie of training, homesickness hit him once more and he returned to Scotland, signed off by his Doctor. It's not quite fair to say he went AWOL - he was off on the sick, apparently depressed, and he seems to have submitted the appropriate Doctor's Notes. Meanwhile he wanted the club to tear up his contract - presumably one that was fairly lucrative, and had no doubt included a sizable signing-on fee, that he had signed less than twelve months before. When things didn't seem to be moving too fast, he went to the Scottish Press and made himself unpopular with all at the club by saying that he'd never come back to Pools, and that he'd rather retire than return. Sympathy was not high in the North-East; the general consensus was that he was being a big cry-baby, and the club would be quite entitled to insist on him either honouring his contract, or carrying out his threat and retiring - preventing him playing above Amateur level again.

Over the last few weeks rumours have been rife about Ross. He was coming back; he was going; someone had bid a six figure sum for him. Pools refused to move until Ross came back and reported for training, and that he did a couple of weeks ago. Now though a severance package has been agreed, and the statement on the official site indicates that the club have got what they wanted: far from paying out money to Ross, they have recieved some compensation and a refund of agent's fees in return for releasing him from his contract almost twelve months early.

What a contrast with Chris Westwood. One (or maybe two) may be willing to criticise Westie: but he honoured his contract, gave his all right up to the end of his time at the club, and when he did leave for personal reasons spoke of how much he'd enjoyed his time at the club and how hard it was to leave. Ross wanted his contract torn up a year early, was less than complimentary about the club and the region, and seems to have left with hardly a backwards glance. No prizes for guessing which one will still be thought of fondly by most Pools fans....

Ross will no doubt be playing in one of the top two Scottish divisions this season, and in all probability will be smouldering with unhappiness about what's happened with Pools. As a fan though I'm pleased that not only has he gone, but that the club have made sure that they have at least recouped some of the outlay they made to bring him to Victoria Park in the first place. Hopefully the money that has been saved will be much more appreciated by the likes of Proctor, Williams and Llewellyn.