PADRAIG Amond last night got his wish and made his exit from Hartlepool United. The striker signed for Newport County for £40,000.
And he ended his year-long stint in the North-East on a sour note, with Pools boss Craig Harrison admitting: “I just wish it had been dealt with in a much more professional manner.”
Harrison claimed on Saturday that Amond had made himself unavailable for selection for the 2-0 defeat at Bromley – a claim the Irishman firmly refuted last night after completing his move. 
Amond arrived at Durham for training on Monday, only to be instantly told to turn around and head to meet Newport for talks after a bid was accepted. 
He netted 14 times for Pools last season, once this campaign, but wanted to leave the club all summer and, as revealed in The Northern Echo last month, submitted a transfer request. 
Harrison is hoping to land a replacement before Saturday’s home game with AFC Flyde and has been linked with a move for Motherwell’s former Gateshead and Darlington striker Ryan Bowman.
“Unfortunately, Podge ruled himself out on Friday morning. There’s been no fireworks, or fall out. It’s just disappointing that professional people can act that way,’’ mused Harrison yesterday. 
“There’s been no hiding from the fact that from day one since I came here, Podge has not wanted to be here. 
“I spoke to him three or four days into the job – he told me he didn’t want to play in this league, didn’t want to play for Hartlepool.
“We have worked hard as a club, as a staff and as players – not to accommodate him, but to stick to our guns and work with him. He put a transfer request in not so long ago. 
“I think for whatever reason it’s not gone as well as we like, but that’s more reason to dig in, roll our sleeves up and get on with it. You can’t have players like that in and around a football club.’’
He added: “As a manager and club we can only do a certain amount to get someone in the group when they don’t want to be. It’s his decision what he wants to do with his career.’’
Pools have never really been able to get the best out of Amond, as he often played as the lone striker after his most prolific spell came at Grimsby alongside a targetman. 
Harrison admitted that while he did want out of the club, which is understood to have yesterday parted company with operations director Mark burrows, Amond hadn’t caused big problems behind the scenes. 
“In fairness he has worked hard in games and in training,’’ said the manager. “So whatever has been going on in his mind he has acted reasonably professional while he has been in the building.’’
Harrison, who was a junior at Middlesbrough when both Emerson and Fabrizio Ravenelli went AWOL in the 1990s, added: “I got a sense four or five days ago that this was coming.
“I am not stupid I get a good sense of the players and the dressing room. I have been in and around players since I was 15 years old.
“It is disappointing for a player to say he is not available the day before a game, but it is what it is.
“There has been a few clubs sniffing around from the summer. I have been batting them off quite early. From day one I wanted to give us the best possible chance to score as many goals we could – it hasn’t worked out for us and it hasn’t for him.’’