Jan Budtz - plays

By Clarence Rode
December 5 2008

We know that despite the credit crunch, Hartlepool United are not as close to financial meltdown as many other clubs. What we don't know is whether they are going to find consistency this season. Chairman Ken Hodcroft told the AGM that the financial armageddon the media is going on about is having an effect at the Vic, but most fans would forget that if they can beat Yeovil this weekend.

After all, the credit crunch that is going to swallow us all up and spit us out as penniless tramps within the next few weeks does not diffeerntiate - it crunches everybody and everything, so footy clubs aren't immune.
The good news is that Pools are well run from a financial point of view, they have not been taken by surprise by the situation, and they expect to overcome it.
Hodcroft told the AGM the prospects for the long-term future are good, so what they have to do now is put a winless November (apart from the FA Cup) behind them and take the points from some very winnable games in December.
The run starts with Yeovil at the Vic, when Jan Budtz takes over from the suspended Arran Lee-Barrett in goal after he got himself caught being daft at Fleetwood.
Richie Jones hopes to be fit again to face the club where he was on loan last season, but there's no news from the club on Sam Collins (right), who has missed the last two games because of a family illness.
Chances are that if he were to be available, he'd probably be on the bench anyway to give Michael Nelson and Ben Clark an extended chance together to repair Pools's awful defensive lapses.
The New Year starts with the all-ticket FA Cup third round game against Stoke at the Vic, but in December the League one fixtures are:

Dec 6 - Yeovil (h)
Dec 13 - Hereford (a)
Dec 19 (Fri) - Southend (h)
Dec 26 - Scunthorpe (a)
Dec 28 (Sun) - Crewe (h)

Pools have to aim for at least three wins from those five, even hoping to get into double firgures for points in December. That would mean November's setbacks would be a distant memory.