JASON KENNEDY has become Hartlepool United’s seventh signing of the summer. The experienced midfielder has impressed boss Craig Hignett while on trial in pre-season.

Hignett wanted to sign him on loan from Carlisle last season, but was unable to agree the conditions of the deal with Cumbrians’ boss Stephen Pressley.

Kennedy suffered a traumatic back injury last year which required delicate surgery, but he has proved his fitness in pre-season.

He started out at Middlesbrough, before joining Darlington and after 50 outings moved to Rochdale, before opting for Bradford ahead of Colin Cooper’s Pools in 2013 and Carlisle.

Hignett told the club website: “We obviously have a lot of competition in the squad but Jason improves us further.

“He’s been here all pre-season, done all the work with us and more than proved his fitness – and I think you can see from the games he’s played what he brings to us.

“He knows what he’s doing, he’s an experienced pro and he still has a lot to offer because he can get about the pitch and I am sure he will pop up with some vital goals for us throughout the season.

“The Carlisle fans love him and they were disappointed to see him go so he will be vitally important for us, not only with what he does on the pitch but also for how he carries himself away from it and what a good professional he is.

“He does things properly and he won’t let us down; a Mr Dependable and you know what you’re going to get from him week in and week out so we’re delighted he’s joining us.”

Pools, meanwhile, are relieved that Luke Molyneux has not suffered a broken leg.

The attacker was carried off in Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat at York after being clattered by one-time Pools midfielder Paddy McLaughlin amid fears he could be out of action long term.

He was taken straight to York Hospital last night for an X-ray and results have showed no fracture.

Molyneux is still facing a spell on the sidelines, Hignett admitting: “It’s more positive news than we were expecting so that’s a relief.

“Luke was very sore after the game and it looked as though it could be a bad one so now we’ll just have to wait for it to settle down and hopefully he won’t be missing too long.”