By Albatross
May 28 2003

Hartlepool United Player Profiles reaches Part 4, as Gordon Watson, Darrell Clarke, Paul Smith and Kevin Henderson become the latest to have their pen pictures online.

Gordon Watson Squad No: 10

What can you say about Flash that hasn't been said already? After starting his career at Charlton, Watson moved on to Sheffield Wednesday and then - in a deal worth £1.2million - to Southampton, before joining Bradford in a deal worth over £500K. It wasn't long after he signed for the Yorkshire club though that he passed into football history: in just his third game for the club, in February 1997, his career was almost ended by a tackle from Kevin Gray (then at Huddersfield) that Jimmy Hill later described as the worst he'd seen in over 50 years. Watson and Bradford successfully sued, but Flash needed a plate in his leg and didn't play for Bradford again for more than 18 months. After leaving Bradford, he then played for Bournemouth for a spell before playing for Portsmouth's reserves on a non-contract basis - still trying to regain fitness.

It was from there that Chris Turner signed him in Septemeber 2001, and the difference he made was immediate: he scored 18 goals as Pools went from rock bottom to the playoffs. It was a major boost when he signed for this season, and after a good start to the campaign (5 goals in 8 games) he broke his other leg against Darlington. Only recently back in first team action, rumours about his relationship with Mike Newell are rife; and few people expect to see Flash in a Pools shirt next season.

Darrell Clarke Squad No: 11

One of the few players Chris Turner paid money for, Clarke had been a goalscoring midfielder at Mansfield and was expected to fill the Tommy Miller role. Some early injury troubles kept him out though, and the switch to 4-4-2 meant he found it hard to get into the team in his favoured position of central midfield. He still managed 8 goals - including a hat-trick against Swansea - and this season has been a regular on the right side. He has struggled there at times, but has still chipped in with five goals.

Paul Smith Squad No: 12

Together with Flash, Paul Smith helped turn around Pools season last year when he joined on a free from Burnley. The Easington-born winger had a hand in more than 30 goals, and scored three himself. He picked up a knee injury on the pre-season tour of Holland, which required surgery in October; and having struggled for form and fitness, he picked up another injury on Boxing Day that kept him out of the first team picture again. A disappointing season for the 27 year old didn't stop Pools offering him a new 2 year deal, but Smith has turned down the offer and will leave the club. Sheffield Wednesday is rumoured to be his next port of call.

Kevin Henderson Squad No: 14

Hendo came late into the professional ranks when he joined Burnley in 1997 from Morpeth, aged 23. A host of league clubs - including Pools - had been keeping tabs on him, but he opted for the Lancashire club. He failed to make a single start for them though, scoring twice in substitue appearances. Pools finally got their man when he joined at the start of the 99/2000 season. Initially he found it hard to dislodge the Gary Jones/Chris Freestone partnership, but once he did he established a good partnership with Jones and scored a spectacular goal against York with an overhead kick on Boxing Day to really put himself on the map. He finished the season with 9 goals, but better was to follow: 2000/1 saw him hit 19 goals as Pools finished 4th; and his total of 17 in the league was one better than Tommy Miller.

Last season though saw him struggle to recapture his form, and he scored just one goal before injury kept him out from November to February. On his return, he found Gordon Watson and then Eifion Williams ahead of him in the pecking order, and he scored just once more - in the 7-1 destruction of Swansea. This year has seen him make very few starts; instead he has been on the bench, and has notched just once - against Scunthorpe.