RAJ SINGH, the Hartlepool United chairman, has revealed the club walked away from a proposed deal for a striker.

While boss Matthew Bates has admitted he is looking for more firepower to boost his squad – Pools have netted 20 in 17 National League games this season – Singh admits one deal wasn’t right financially for everyone concerned at the Super 6 Stadium.

Writing in Saturday’s match programme, Singh said: “We were pretty close to being able to sign a high-profile ex-Premier League player a couple of weeks ago.

“It fell through because the deal wasn’t right for the club and we’re not just going to force things through just to get a big name into the club. We won’t dismantle everything we’ve worked hard together for a big name – everything has to be right.’’

Singh added that there is no desperation to sign a player for the sake of it and the club will continue to look for the right signings.

Pools go to Wrexham on Tuesday evening aiming to close the gap on the play-off spot after missing out in a 3-2 home defeat to Sutton on Saturday.

They sit four points short of seventh-placed Gateshead and are seven points behind their third-placed opponents.

Captain Andrew Davies admitted: “Saturday was a disappointment, it hurts. Going in front and then conceded we are disappointed as a group. We got a bit stretched and thought we would get the third goal.

“They got a couple of ricochets for them to score a third, but we felt we should score it.

“When you concede goals you look back at them, but a winger scored the second, a holding midfielder the third and we were stretched. But we have only lost three games in 17, so we get back together and go again on Tuesday.’’