Mani Dieseruvwe became only the fourth Hartlepool United player in the last 50 years to score 20 league goals in a single season, finishing with 23 in the league and 25 in all competitions – but can fans be certain that their star player will return to the Suit Direct Stadium next season?
How confident can Hartlepool United be in keeping Mani Dieseruvwe, who scored 25 goals last season?
1. A career-best goalscoring campaign
Last season, Dieseruvwe scored 25 goals, making it the most prolific season of his career by a long shot; his previous high was 13 goals at Halifax the season before joining Pools. Indeed, such great figures will undoubtedly attract the attention of teams looking for a new striker.
Dieseruvwe finished joint fourth in the National League scoring standings, but is undoubtedly the most appealing asset in the top five. Paul McCallum, who topped the charts, will be 31 next month. Will Grigg turns 33 this summer, Nicke Kabamba is two years older than Dieseruvwe and signed a long-term contract with Barnet in February, and Michael Cheek celebrates his 33rd birthday in August after five years with Bromley.
So, if teams are looking to the National League for a goalscorer still in his prime, Dieseruvwe appears to be the logical pick. However, there is no guarantee that he will be as successful elsewhere, so the player may believe that Hartlepool is the best place for him to stay if he wants to reach the 20-goal threshold again next season.
