Hartlepool forward leaves the club

Hartlepool United have confirmed that striker Mike Fondop has left the club following the expiry of his contract.

Fondop joined the Pools in September making his debut in a goalless draw against Oldham Athletic. Since then, the striker went on to make seven more appearances for the side but did not score any goals in that time.

Fondop joined Hartlepool after being released by Burton Albion at the end of the 2020 – 2021 season during which time he scored twice for the side in seventeen appearances since February 2021.

The 28-year-old has found it hard to settle down at one club. Before he signed for Burton, he had played for an array of non-league sides since 2014 including Billericay Town, Oxford City and Wrexham.

During his loan spell with Halifax Town in 2018, he scored four goals in twelve games playing his part in helping the Shaman avoid relegation. At the end of the 2019-20 season, he was named as Chesterfield’s top scorer with eleven goals in all competitions to his name but left the club to keep his options open.

The forward will no doubt be looking for a new club now but with only two EFL goals to his name so far, the question of which league he will be playing in next remains unknown.

The Verdict:

It’s understandable that the Pools have not decided to keep the striker in their ranks as he has not been able to find the net for them this season.

However, it is clear that Fondop has some quality in him which he’s shown at times especially during his time in non-league. When he joined Wrexham in 2018, he started the season with five goals in his first nine games.

As a bit of an older player now, the forward should take some time to consider where he looks to move next. Whether his future is in the EFL or non-league, he should seek to find some stability at a club in the hope that this will help him progress and score goals consistently.