The Club can announce that goalkeeper Scott Loach will leave The Super 6 Stadium this summer at the end of his current contract.
The 31-year-old played every minute of every game during a two-year stint with the Club, completing a century of successive fixtures in the final day win over Salford City at the end of April.
Loach is now set to move on to pastures new but has admitted that he’s loved every minute of his time with Pools and has backed the Club to get back to the EFL in the near future.
“I have really enjoyed it,” he told us.
“First of all, I have to thank Craig Harrison and Paul Jenkins for bringing me to the Club.
“I was at a place in my career when people maybe knew what I had done and what I could do but I just needed to get back out there and show it, so it was massive for them to have that confidence in me.
“To have to try and follow in the footsteps of Trev (Carson) was always going to be a challenge but the fans took to me from minute one and I really enjoyed my time there and my football.
“In terms of playing 100 games in a row, I think the mental side of things is as important as the hard work and I have also had Ryan Catterick pushing me all the way, the Club has a real talent coming through there.
“Ross (Turnbull) has also taken me to different levels in terms of how I approach games now and he’s really looked after me.
“He’s made sure that the work we do is physical but also mental too and there’s been days where I’ve been off my feet and in the gym so he’s looked after me perfectly.
“I would say I have been managed well during my time at the Club too because, even when I have had the odd hiccup here and there, they’ve backed me and given me so much confidence over the last two years.
“I just want to thank everyone who has been involved since I’ve been at the Club – staff, players and fans, who have been brilliant with me.
“I think it was when we played Fylde last year – Mags was ill so I was captain and I walked around the pitch at the end to see the fans and the response I got really surprised me, I didn’t expect them to applaud. Since then I felt like we had a good, respectful relationship.
“You can ask the people at Watford or even at York City for the nine games I was there, I celebrate goals like I have been there for years because I am passionate about my football and want to enjoy every minute.”
Having joined the Club in the summer of 2017, Loach impressed from the off and, while the Club hasn’t enjoyed the success that was hoped for, he still has plenty of highlights from the past two years.
“Definitely not my last-minute header against Dover – I still can’t believe I didn’t score! And I won’t miss Nicky Featherstone’s driving either!” he joked.
“I would say I enjoyed the penalty save against Torquay at home last year, it was great to save one in front of the fans.
“I would also pick out the Dagenham game at home in 2017/18 too. We’d had a tricky start to the season but that day I had quite a lot to do, I think I got Man of the Match and we won the game – I just felt like that was the day that I really settled in at the Club.
“It was also a very proud moment to be asked to captain the team, that’s not a role I’ve done in the past but I think it helped me grow as a person and made me more mature – though some of the lads would probably argue against that!
“One of the best feelings I have had was that comeback win against Dover. I think it was because we had such a great team spirit and it was brilliant seeing the young lads come and get involved in it all – and it’s always great to come back and win like that, at any level.”
And despite the fact he won’t be playing for the Club next term, Loach will still be cheering Pools on in their quest to challenge towards the top end of the National League.
“I don’t think it will be long before the Club is back in the EFL – some might have their doubts from the outside but the people there are getting it right now.
“The infrastructure maybe wasn’t there in the first twelve months but there is a real platform now and I think the Club can bounce back – other teams might throw money at it but Pools have the structure to succeed.
“Hopefully we can look at what Tranmere and Lincoln have done – learn from their years in this division and get back to where the Club belongs.”