Chris Turner confesses Hartlepool United will face an uphill challenge to replace Joel Porter.
Pools boss expects unenviable task to replace striker
Chris Turner confesses Hartlepool United will face an uphill challenge to replace Joel Porter.
Porter has banged in 23 goals for Hartlepool this season but is expected to complete a free transfer to Gold Coast United once Pool's season ends at Bristol Rovers a week on Saturday.
And Turner admits he faces an unenviable task of finding a replacement for his Australian striker this summer.
"Joel Porter - it's well documented - has done fantastically well at Hartlepool," Turner told the
Northern Echo. "In the play-off season (of 2004/5) he fired the goals with Adam Boyd alongside him.
"With him going back, we have not had anything along those lines, but I hear unofficially he is returning to Australia and he is looking after his future.
"I have sat down and spoke with him. He knows my feelings on the situation and all credit to him because he has been outstanding.
Difficult
"If he does leave it's going to be a very difficult task to replace someone who will hopefully score 25 goals this season.''
Porter, meanwhile, has set his sights on League One safety in what should be his final appearance in front of the Victoria Park faithful against Leeds on Saturday.
"It's a great game and we'll be right up for it,'' he said. "It's been a while since we've had back-to-back wins so we'll be looking to do that.
"Leeds is a big game anyway and we didn't need to be three points less and playing them to win.
"A little bit of pressure is off so we are looking forward to it now. We seem to play better against the bigger teams anyway so we'll play some good football at the Vic.
"Mentally we need to be right on our game to get something from it."
