By Clarence Rode
July 21 2008

There’s probably little or no significance in the squad numbers given to players before the start of a new season, but Hartlepool United boss Danny Wilson has announced who will be wearing what for the club in 2008-09. For instance, James Brown is given the No.14 he wore last season, but it’s highly unlikely he’s going to spend a lot of time on the bench ... we hope.

One switch sees Richie Humphreys swap last season’s No.8 for No.3, which is no big surprise considering he spent most of last season playing at left-back.
Richie Jones, the new lad from Manchester United, takes the No.8 shirt.
In the middle of defence, Ben Clark’s No.6 shirt goes to Sam Collins, who joined the club during the January transfer window, and Clark (right) moves to No.12.
Any significance in that? We’ll have to wait and see.
The club’s only other new signings so far, Alan Power and Mark Cook, are given 16 and 30.
The numbers are:

1          Jan Budtz

2          Jamie McCunnie

3          Richie Humphreys

4          Willie Boland

5          Michael Nelson

6          Sam Collins

7          Gary Liddle

8          Richie Jones

9          Richard Barker

10        Joel Porter

11        Andy Monkhouse

12        Ben Clark

14        James Brown

15        Antony Sweeney

16        Alan Power

17        David Foley

18        Michael Mackay

19        Matty Robson

21        Arran Lee-Barrett

22        Jonny Rowell

24        Martin Young

26        Matty Tymon

27        Joe Tait

30        Mark Cook

No.25 is not included in memory of the late Michael maidens, killed in a road crash early last season, but there are still some gaps which no doubt Wilson – and the fans – will be hoping to fill before the season starts.