FM2009 Hartlepool United: The Monkey Hangers

Welcome to Hartlepool United Football Club. Nicknamed “ Pools

Hartlepool is based in the North Eat of England. They play in the League 1but they spent the majority of their football in Leagu2. Hartlepool have never won any competition or league but have been runners up on two occasions and have reached the League One Play Off Final in 2005..

Two years ago Hartlepool stormed League 2 and lead the League for the majority of season until losing the title on the last game of the season. Hartlepool returned to League 1 last year and managed to get 15th

Hartlepool are a club with big ambitions and want to gain a promotion to the second tier of English Football for the very first time. With a very good but small squad can you mastermind Hartlepool’s ambition and lead them to where they have never been before.

]Manager: Danny Wilson

Fierce Rivals: Darlington, Middlesbrough

Affiliates: None

Media Prediction: 15th

Finances Okay

Club Captain: Sam Collins

Club Vice-Captain: Ritchie Humphreys

Finances

Estimated Value: £1.1 Million

Balance - £527k

Transfer Budget - £80 k to £120k

Wage Budget: £29.41k

Stadium

Hartlepool United play there football at Victoria Park. The stadium has a maximum capacity of 7,691 fans. However Pools don’t sell out too often.

Team

1. Jan Budtz

2. Jamie McCunnie

3. Ritchie Humphreys

4. Willie Boland

5. Mickey Nelson

6. Sam Collins

7. Gary Liddle

8. Ritchie Jones

9. Ritchie Barker

10. Joel Porter

11. Andy Monkhouse

12. Ben Clark

14. James Brown

15: Anthony Sweeney

16. Alan Power

17. David Foley

18. Michael Mackay

19. Matty Robson

21. Aaron Lee- Barrett

22. Johnny Rowell

24. Martin Young

26. Matty Tymon

27. Joe Tait

30. Mark Cook

Goalkeepers - One of Hartlepool’s weakest areas. Jan Budtz looks ok but I personally would look for a better Keeper as soon as possible especially with Aaron Lee-Barret the second choice as he doesn’t look too convincing.

Right Backs - Jamie McCunnie is one of Hartlepool’s best defender and should be in the team whenever possible. However there is no second choice back up but Tony Sweeney is capable of playing there if desperate to do so.

Left Backs - Ritchie Humphrey looks ok for left back but this is another weak spot for Pools. Humphreys has okay stats but his pace and defending arent good enough for left back. So a left back is a priority.

Centre Backs - Sam Collins and Mickey Nelson have a excellent partnership together and are very reliable. Ben Clark is a very reliable back up and will be become first choice with Nelson as he looks way better than Collins.

Defensive Midfielders -. Willie Boland is a very experienced DM and is by far the best in the squad. If needed Gary Liddle can also play there, so this is a very good area in the squad.

Central Midfielders/Attacking Midfielders - A strong point in the Hartlepool squad as you have plenty of players able to play CM. You may want to bring in a better CM but overall it’s a strong point.

Wingers - Andy Monkhouse looks fantastic on the left for Hartlepool but there is way better targets. Hartlepool have no right midfielder so this is a major concern. Ritchie Jones and James Brown can play in AMR but they are best suited to there natural positions

Strikers - Joel Porter and James Brown are a very good partnership and can rip any defence apart on there day. Ritchie Barker is a reliable backup but after him Hartlepool have no one so maybe try and bring in another striker..

Overview

Generally it’s a good squad but improvements should be made to certain areas.

You have a small budget but you have plenty deadwood to sell. There are plenty of loans and free signings who would be a awesome inclusion to the squad such as Ross Turnbull, Henri Lansbury and Seth Johnson.

Hartlepool are also no as the Monkey Hangers so managing them you will have a laugh and all I can say is good look and hopefully we have some Monkey Hangers on the site.

good thread mate, but most of all youve got the legendary james brown! Soo funny on skysports news when he scores

Poolies

Will be looking to play as Pools,as they are my hometown club, if I get FM09, haven't been impressed by the demo so far.

Ah Ville Valo me and you use to talk in the 08 Pools thread but i doubt you remember me.

I do mate

Stopped posting in there after my save wouldn't load .

This is my new account i couldnt remember my old password.

Anyways Ross Turnbull is a great signing for Pools way better than Budtz. Cant wait to get Brown and Porter going so they can rip the league just like in real life

Hi, i have just managed to get my FM 09 working so i can now have a good run with the pools, quite a few areas to improve on so think this could be a useful thread if we all share our experiance.

So far not too impressed, seems tactics need a lot of work, anyway will have to see how i get on

started pretty well with my beloved pools!

in-

ross turnbull on loan

nabil el zhar on loan

bradley johnson on loan

ezomo iriekpen - 100k

brian murphy - 10k

out -

monkhouse - burnley 180k (you could probably get even more?!)

sweeney - plymouth 50k

barker - crewe 65k

robson - kettering 8k

boland - kettering 18k

4 games into season, won 3 - drew 1 (i was 2-0 up and drew 2-2 :<) sitting 4th in league..

still got 100k left but struggling to find the right players to bolster the positions i need to! cant get a bid accepted for billy paynter and got out wage-bid on dominic blizzard!

anyone got any recommendations? midfield/strikers?

A definate midfielder to get on loan for a season is Possebon from Man Utd. Im managing the cobblers in League 1 and every time he gets the ball on the adge of the area he scores. I just need a right midfielder and 1 or 2 more strikers.

Juho Makela (hearts is a good signing. £30k, pace of 16 and finishing of 14. Set as target man and get the ball in front of him.

Marek Stech is also a great keeper to get on loan for a year from West Ham. Very reliable

Sold Monkhouse(300k) Humphreys(140k) Barker(1k) Budtz( 50k)

So far signed Waghorn, Turnbull, this other keeper i cant remember, and a left back called Gilbert

Second Brian Murphy GK 18k, Sefyo Soley Mid Free.

Got Man Utd as parent club, took 5 players on free loan.

2nd 1st season. 7th second season in Championship. Currently 1st 3rd season.

442 A home 442 D away

Any tips on stadium expansion. The board have approved but not sure how many seats I'm going to get. My average attendance is bottom so financially I think I am going to have problems soon.

Extend contract of James Brown asap for as long as you can. He wants nothing to do with a renewal now. Value £2.7m so I guess I will have to cash in.

Anyone tried Pools on the new patch?

So far won my first game 2-1

Signed Lewis Guy, Seb Hines, Dimi.

Sold a few players, looks like we are better on the new patch

Have just started new game on new patch, yeah i agree i think pools are slightly better, i have signed a few short term players, Ian Walker GK, Jamie Vincent DL, Scott Murray MR, Sefo Soley DMC, Micheal Higdon ST,

Struggling to keep clean sheets, scoring at least a goal a match though so if i can stop the leaks should do well

Biggest Issue i have is Passing, keep giving ball away, Ass feedback slates my passing at every match, currently retraining

Any other Tips

I was actually doing pretty good defensive wise. My defence was:

Dimi (Budtz)

Hines(McCunnie) Nelson Tozer(Collins) Gilbert(Humphreys)

In brackets are the back ups. Ben Clark is still there but i prefer him CM with either Jones or Liddles AKA The Speed

am goin to start using there later on any body got some tips for the tatics and who to buy or sell

Im playing a 4-4-2 with one striker sitting behind the other

I made the Championship last night Ill get some screen shots asap

Signed ronaldinho for pools 300k, amazed he came

Im on a bad run in the Championship at the minute. Im 16/17th and havent won in 6 or 7 games. Players where awesome the first few games but they arent preforming well now.

By the way, ill do the Pools 2010 thread