Coops - wants winger

By Charlie Summerbell
January 11 2012

Neale Cooper has done what appeareed to be impossible by halting Hartlepool United's depressing run of home defeats, but there's little doubt that it will take the returning former boss a little longer to produce a miracle ane return to the form of this season's first dozen games.

Last weekend’s 2-0 home win over Rochdale was as welcome as it was overdue, but now Cooper takes his team on the road hoping they can at least match what has been an excellent away record so far this season.

They are away the next two weekends, and neither game will be easy – at Exeter this Saturday and Sheffield Wednesday a week later.

Cooper was delighted with the Rochdale win and told the Northern Echo: You could see the spirit there from them all.'

“I said there wasn’t enough pace in the team, but we did well against Rochdale.”

He has started to look for players to add to his squad during the January window, but added: "I've been talking to players in Scotland, tried to get in, it's not happened yet. I've spoken to a lot of my friends at the Premier League clubs and there's a few things to chase up.''

His top priority is a winger, but he will hopefully be fussy before making a move.

Meanwhile, a continuation of that excellent away record would do a lot to help the situation.

Cooper’s return to the club has made a difference – the Rochdale performance was, indeed, nowhere near as nervous as so many others at home and the result will have done a power of good.

Cooper added: “They are a great bunch, but they need to be a winning bunch too.

“I thought they set a standard on Saturday in covering and fighting for each other. Throughout the team they were better to a man and there was a real determination there.

“You could see the spirit there from them all.”

Hopefully it will still be there at Exeter.