James Poole (footballer)

James Alexander Poole (born 20 March 1990) is an English footballer. He is primarily a striker but can also play left-wing and as an attacking midfielder. Since 2015 he has worked for City Football Group as a scout, but has combined this role with appearing for a series of non-league sides at the same time.

James Poole
Personal information
Full name James Alexander Poole
Date of birth (1990-03-20) 20 March 1990 (age 34)[1]
Place of birth Stockport, England
Position(s) Midfielder, Striker
Team information
Current team
Dandenong Thunder
Youth career
2005–2006 Macclesfield Town
2006–2008 Manchester City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2011 Manchester City 0 (0)
2009–2010Bury (loan) 9 (0)
2010–2011Hartlepool United (loan) 3 (1)
2011–2014 Hartlepool United 96 (14)
2014–2015 Bury 4 (0)
2014–2015Dover Athletic (loan) 17 (1)
2015–2017 Salford City 52 (21)
2017–2019 Altrincham 34 (2[2])
2019Hyde United (loan) 4 (0)
2019–2021 Preston Lions 16 (5)
2022– Dandenong Thunder 5 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:52, 10 April 2022 (UTC)

Playing career

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Manchester City

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After joining Manchester City's academy from Macclesfield Town's center of excellence for a small fee, he went on to be part of the Manchester City FA Youth Cup winning side in 2007–08 which beat Chelsea[3] and signed a new one-year contract in March 2010.[3]

Having joined Bury on loan on 25 March 2010 until the end of the 2009–10 season,[4] he made his debut on 27 March in a Football League match against Aldershot,[1] going on to make 9 appearances for the club, before being sent-off in the last league match of the season.[1]

Hartlepool

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On 13 October Poole joined Hartlepool United on a one-month loan deal,[5] which was later extended by a month. Poole made 6 appearances at Hartlepool, scoring his first goal in senior football in the League 1 game against Brighton & Hove Albion.[6] In December 2010, Poole returned to his parent club, Manchester City.

On 13 May 2011, Poole made a permanent move to Hartlepool for the 2011/12 season, signing a two-year contract. He stated in the Hartlepool Mail newspaper that he wanted to sign even more when he saw experienced midfielder Nolberto Solano was signing on the same day.[7]

He scored a wonder goal on his first permanent game for Hartlepool away to MK Dons in a 2–2 draw.[8] James scored two goals in his fifth league game against Rochdale which saw him score a 20-yard volley in a 3–1 win to give Hartlepool their first win of the season after four consecutive draws.[9] After a few appearances on the bench, Poole returned to the Hartlepool United team and scored 2 away to Chesterfield. His first, a spectacular left-footed strike made the scores 2–2 and his second proved to be Hartlepool's winner, a close range header in the second half.

Poole won Hartlepool's Goal of the Season award for 2012–13 for his goal in a 2–1 win against Notts County in February 2013, with Poole saying: "I think I would have to say it's probably the best goal I've ever scored. It might not look the best because it doesn't fly in to the top corner from thirty-five yards or anything, but technically I was really pleased with the goal".[10] This goal also made national headlines after the two Hartlepool goalscorers were named Hartley and Poole.[11] The goal was nominated for the Football League's Goal of the Year at the 2014 Football League Awards[12] but was unsuccessful as Franck Moussa won the award.

Poole signed a new contract with Hartlepool in 2013.[13] He began the 2013–14 season under new boss Colin Cooper playing in a midfield role but lost his place in a CAM position to Luke Williams.

Poole left the club in July 2014 turning down a new contract.[12]

Bury

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Poole went on trial with Melbourne City in pre-season but signed for Bury on non-contract terms in August 2014.[14]

Poole joined Conference side Dover Athletic on loan in November 2014.

Semi-professional

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In September 2015 he joined Salford City.

In May 2017 he joined Altrincham and earned an Evo Stik League winners' medal in his first season. In 2019, he spent a month on loan at Hyde United, making four appearances before returning to Altrincham.[15]

After moving to Australia, Poole signed for Preston Lions in 2019.

Off-field career

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After leaving Bury, Poole began working for City Football Group, owners of previous club Manchester City, in a scouting role.[16] While there he combined his duties with playing for several non-league sides.

In June 2019 he moved to Australia to head up the Australian branch of CFG's Scouting and Recruitment department, based at Melbourne City FC.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Player profile: James Poole". Soccerbase. 14 April 2010.
  2. ^ http://www.altrinchamfc.co.uk/statistics.htm
  3. ^ a b "Poole pens new deal and Bury loan move". Manchester City F.C. 25 March 2010. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
  4. ^ "Bury snap up Manchester City youngster James Poole". BBC Sport. 25 March 2010.
  5. ^ "Manchester City striker James Poole joins Hartlepool". BBC Sport. 13 October 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  6. ^ "Hartlepool 3 – 1 Brighton". BBC Sport. 13 November 2010.
  7. ^ "Pools seal Poole capture". Sky Sports. 13 May 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2011.
  8. ^ "MK Dons 2 – 2 Hartlepool". BBC Sport. 6 August 2011.
  9. ^ "Rochdale 1 – 3 Hartlepool". BBC Sport. 28 August 2011.
  10. ^ "VIDEO: Poole strike named Hartlepool United fans' goal of the season". Hartlepool Mail. 2 May 2013.
  11. ^ "Peter Hartley and James Poole both score as Hartlepool beat Notts County".
  12. ^ a b "James Poole Leaves Hartlepool United". Hartlepool United. 1 July 2014.
  13. ^ "James Poole _targets Hartlepool United payback". Hartlepool Mail. 13 August 2013.
  14. ^ "James Poole 'backs himself' in sink-or-swim contract". Bury Times. 14 August 2014.
  15. ^ "James Poole – Hyde United".
  16. ^ "James Poole". linkedin.com. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  17. ^ "Living in a Land Down Under | Altrincham Football Club". altrinchamfc.com. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
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