DAVE JONES admits the exit of Josh Laurent from Hartlepool United was good for all parties.

Pools sold the midfielder to Wigan on transfer deadline day, with the 21-year-old leaving for a fee which has been officially described as undisclosed, but unofficially tagged at £500,000.

The deal won’t be anywhere near that level and Jones, who named Laurent on the bench for last weekend’s defeat at Newport, said: “Josh leaving was financially a good move for the club, but you always want to keep your best players.

"When you are a club in this division and bigger clubs come calling it’s hard to keep them.

“You may not want to them to go, but heads can be turned and moving to a club two divisions above and they can earn more money then let them go. You can battle against them mentally as they want to go.

“I wish him all the best, I didn’t know him that long and I hope he does really well there. It shows in his time here that whatever people did with him was the right thing.’’

Pools landed two young loan strikers on Tuesday, with Andrew Nelson moving from Sunderland and Louis Rooney arriving from Plymouth.

“We needed strikers and we are in a situation where we have to score goals, but we aren’t in a situation where we can cherry pick the best, as they cost the most money. We have to look and see what’s available,’’ said Jones.

“They are both highly recommended, so let’s get them in and see.’’

Billy Paynter won’t be involved at the weekend because of an Achilles problem and Michael Woods is a doubt with an ankle injury.

Nathan Thomas, recovering from groin surgery, is back in training and could be on the bench.

Pools have appointed Stephen Pears as part-time goalkeeping coach. He has previously been at the club a player in 1996 and later as goalkeeping coach and assistant manager.