Michael has been a dominant force in the heart of Pools' defence since joining the Club in the summer of 2003 and has become one of the most respected players in League One.

He made a move to Bury from Bishop Auckland in 2001 having enjoyed a successful trial period and went on to become a fans' favourite and Player of the Year at Gigg Lane in the season he left.

On his debut on the opening day of the 2003/2004 season, Nelson sent a last-minute scorcher in to the top corner to give Pools an unlikely 4-3 win at Peterborough - and the strong defender hasn't looked back since.

Aggressive in the tackle and superb in the air, his reputation has continued to grow and he's been the subject of transfer speculation on more than one occasion during his time at Pools.