RONNIE MOORE would like two more signings to put ‘the icing on the cake’ after a summer of transfer activity at Hartlepool United.

Pools made seven close-season signings as Moore began a rebuilding process following the departure of nine players at the end of the season, a list that included goalkeeper Scott Flinders, and Neil Austin, who was offered a new deal but has opted to leave the club.

And, after the arrivals of Harry Worley, Rakish Bingham, Jake Carroll, Billy Paynter, Trevor Carson, Carl Magnay and Rhys Oates, Moore has targeted two further signings – both wingers – to complete his overhaul.

“We’ve got seven in and hopefully there’s still a couple to come,” said Moore during the second day of Pools’ pre-season training.

“All the ones who have come in, there’s experience, there’s youth, energy, pace, so there’s different types of players. I want a couple of wingers to give us the scope to go 4-4-2, rather than be 4-3-3 or 3-5-2, it just opens up a bigger area for us.

“I don’t think we had that last season. We had the versatility but not the players. At least now we have the players now. The full-backs last year were more attacking than defensive. The lads we’ve brought in now can do both jobs.

“We’ve got a nice group of lads, and with two extra players it’ll be the icing on the cake.”

Moore admitted that there were plenty of players to choose from, but the Pools boss is looking at experience rather than youth to fill the final two places.

“The hardest part now is getting the last piece of the jigsaw,” said Moore, who is taking a look at ex-Yeovil midfielder Fergus Bell and former Clyde defender Euan Murray, who are both out of contract. “Wingers, you know what they’re like. Everyone’s telling me they are one in three, one in four.

“We know what it was like from last year, but that’s what they are. It’s about them telling us what they can do, not what they can’t do. At the minute we’ve got two or three irons in the fire.

“They’re the ones that the agents think are better than they actually are. They want £1,500 a week, in two days it’ll be £1,000, a week it’ll be £800. It’s about sitting tight and seeing whether the players we’re after will take the cut and come in.

“I’d like two experienced wingers in to give us a bit of pace, we’ve got a couple of trialists in who can come in, some midfield players in on trial, we may have a couple of wingers depending on how things go this week. There’s a lot out there, but they’re young, not tried and tested, I’d like to have those wide areas with a bit of experience.”

Moore has been impressed with Pools’ summer activity, with most of the business done before he started his summer holiday, and hopes he has unearthed some gems as he looks to build on last season’s remarkable Great Escape.

“Bings (Bingham) came through nice and early because we’d worked behind the scenes on that, we needed the pace,” said Moore, who takes his side to Catterick next week for a four-day boot camp. “But the others, it was nice how willing they were to come. Jake I’ve seen a bit, there’s loads to come from him, he’ll be a crowd favourite. Billy will help to get goals.

“Harry Worley at the back, he’s big and he’s strong. It was unbelievable how it all happened. A lot of them were done before I went away on holiday, I had nine days away. We had five or six in by then and a couple while I was away on holiday. That’s the pleasing part.

“What we’re trying to do is bring the squad up to the strength that you need to get out of the division. We don’t have a massive budget, and sometimes you have to say you don’t have to be the best. But if we can get them to play as a team, as a squad, that’s what it’s about.

“That’s what I’ve done throughout my career. I haven’t had a pot of gold to go out and do what I want. It would be nice to do that one day. But you have to scrimp and save, we all want to shop at Harrods but we’re at Aldi at the moment and that’s the way it is. It’s picking the right ones.

“There are gems out there, players that perhaps have not worked out at other clubs. Trying to get seven to gel together is not going to be easy but if the spirit’s right in the camp then there’s no reason why that can’t be done.”