Hartlepool United manager Darren Sarll believes it won’t be long before fans see new signing Gary Madine in action. The veteran striker, who boasts five promotions and over 100 career goals, became Sarll’s ninth addition of the summer before Tuesday night’s tough win over Tamworth.
Although the former Sheffield Wednesday, Bolton, and Blackpool forward did not feature midweek, he has been training with Pools for about two weeks. However, Sarll indicated that the club would need to be careful when bringing Madine back into the fold, as the striker missed all of last season due to injury and hasn’t played a competitive match since March 2023.
If Pools can get Gary Madine fit and firing, his proven goal-scoring ability and reputation as a strong, combative forward could make him a valuable asset for Sarll. While the manager emphasized that he won’t rush Madine’s return, he anticipates the striker will be involved within the next couple of weeks.
“I always collaborate with the player and the physio, so Danny O’Connor’s expertise will guide us here,” Sarll explained. “We also have to consider Gary’s eagerness to play and balance the risks and rewards, which is ultimately my responsibility.
“Danny, Gary, and I will discuss it and make a well-informed decision to get him back on the pitch. He could be ready for Saturday or Monday, or it might take until the following Saturday at the latest.
“He’s now entering the third week of his pre-season, so we’ll need to ease him into games. The pace of league matches is much faster than friendlies—15 minutes in a league game is like 45 minutes in a friendly. We’ll have to be very cautious in building him up gradually.
“He’s a big guy, with good size and presence, and we need to be mindful of his age and past injuries. I don’t want to set him up for a setback, but given his last competitive action was four leagues higher, he’s shown himself to be a very astute footballer in training. I’m confident he’ll bring significant benefits to the team.”
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