The experienced striker joined Pools after leaving Mansfield Town and went on to play 56 games for the Club in a two season spell blighted by injury.

Having made a recent trip to The Vic, Lormor recalls that things were much different when he used to come and play against Pools.

"My first memories of Hartlepool were coming to play here at Reserve or Youth Team level and they just had porta-cabins, with no showers and, without being awful, it was a pretty run-down Club.

"But then Chris Turner and Colin West took over, did the place up and made it more professional."

Old Friends: Lormor still keeps in touch with some of the friends he made at Pools

Lormor - now 36 and working in the communications industry - admits he still has fond memories of his time in a blue and white shirt and is glad he opted to join the Club.

"I was at a dinner sitting next to Mick Tait about two years before I signed and he said he'd love to sign me but they just couldn't afford to. I was at Preston at the time.

"But a couple of years later and things did work out and I signed for the Club. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Club but I did have a long-standing injury which I had got away with for about eight years which flared up while I was here. That held me back quite a lot.

"The Club were brilliant to me and I got on really well with everyone. I still see Chris (Turner) at the odd match and I keep in touch with Colin West too."

Slight Regret: Lormor wishes he could have done better for Pools

Ashington-born Lormor still looks back on his time at The Vic with a twinge of regret saying he wished he could have shown his true colours to the Pools fans.

"All in all I did enjoy it a Hartlepool but I wish I could've done better.

"I retired when I left here with a bad injury which played up after about a year here and it was unfortunate really.

"I was looked after really well by the Club and really enjoyed it. I have a warm feeling about the Club.

"It was disappointing for me, after starting out at Newcastle that when I did have chance to come back to the North East, it didn't really work out for me how wanted it to."

Red Card: Lormor's refereeing career was short-lived

When he was forced to stop playing, Lormor refused to completely hang up his boots and worked up an interest for officiating.

He had visions of becoming a referee and channelling the enjoyment he got out of football back in to the game - sadly, it wasn't to be.

"I didn't get through it - I was talking about that with Chris Turner," he revealed.

"It became more of a hindrance than a help to be honest with you. I did it with the PFA who wanted to fast track the course for players but the Referee's Association wouldn't have it. You only had to ref ten games a year and that qualifies you to get promoted.

"I struggled to do that, with playing football and then working and it was ridiculous if you didn't get promoted because you had to stay in that league all year.

"I was refereeing Sunday league level and in the end it wasn't worth doing; I was missing an afternoon's work and getting paid £13 for it."