Luke Williams has admitted that his determination to repay the faith shown in him by Craig Hignett will be a driving force for him during 2019/20.
The 25-year-old star secured an extended stay at The Super 6 Stadium on Wednesday when he signed a new deal – and he immediately turned his attentions to the debt he owes to the Pools boss.
Hignett has stood by the talented attacker during his injury frustration and now Williams is ready to step up and give something back after working hard to return to full fitness this summer.
“I have never wanted to play for a Manager as much in all my career as I want play for this one now,” Williams told us.
“It will be a massive weight off my shoulders when I get the chance to do that and hopefully I can do him justice for the faith he’s shown in me.
“Honestly, I have never wanted to play and wanted a team to succeed as much as I have now for this gaffer.
“He’s played a big part in my career as a whole that people may not know about – from my time at Boro, to my time on loan here to now being signed permanently.
“He’s a Manager I want to play for and I am really looking forward to giving him a little back after all he’s given to me.”
Pools fans still remember how Williams illuminated the midfield during his loan stint at the Club at the start of 2014 when he fired two goals in seven eye-catching appearances.
Now he’s looking to recapture that sparkling form and help shoot Pools up the National League table and he thinks the Club is perfectly set up for a promotion challenge.
“I have a joke with the gaffer and the rest of the lads about how many goals I want to score if I can stay fit for a full season – but I think I will keep that figure in-house!
“This is a tough league, though. Anyone can turn up and beat anyone – the big teams, like Salford and Orient, lost at places you wouldn’t expect them to last season because it’s hard.
“But with the way the Manager is doing things here, planting seeds with people and laying the foundations, I don’t think there is any reason why we can’t make big progress next season.”