The Poolie Bunker

.. have improved since this bloke has come back from injury..
..

Saw the highlights on MotD
Looks like Oates had a blinder and took his goal well.
They nearly fucked it up mind, having been 4-1 up, clung on for 4-3.
Type of thing Pools would have done- though think we'd have made it more entertaining by conceding an equaliser and took it to Spot Kicks instead!

Pleased for Rhys. He missed most of the last TWO seasons with injuries but has come back this season as good as ever and lost none of his pace.

Where might we have been if Raj had been willing to put his hand in his pocket? I remember seeing that Oates left when we got back up to L2 over a small amount of money, that was it. And then hearing Graeme Lee talk about the contracts offered to the likes of Odusina and Molyneux were pitiful. Strange because Oates that season was one of the best we’ve had in a long time, but Raj wasn’t willing to pay him a little bit extra. But was willing to shell out plenty of money for how many shocking signings.

Says a lot about Oates’ quality that at 31 years old as above not played for basically 2 years he’s having one what looks to be one of his best seasons in a league he’s never really played in before.

but was oates going to stay anyway no matter what we offered. same with the other players we lost. lets hope with new ownership we can be the sharks who eat up players from other clubs and pools look the club where players want to be at and not a last resort f.c.

I'm sure Oates had signed for Mansfield before the play off final as it was guaranteed Div 2 football. Challinor was totally pissed off at the way Oates went about it, so I don't think it was down to negotiations with Pools, he's already decided he was going.
Players come and go, the grass is always greener, that's football and if a player wants to leave any club the best thing to do is get as much for them as possible and get shot asap.