Pools had something of a goalkeeping crisis during the 2010/11 season, with both first choice keeper Scott Flinders and backup Andy Rafferty suffering hand injuries that ruled them out of action for several months. First team coach Mick Wadsworth used the loan market to sign some short-term replacements and Wigan`s promising young stopper Lee Nicholls arrived in November 2010 to provide cover for Jake Kean, who was himself on loan from Blackburn Rovers. Nicholls returned to Wigan three weeks later without having made an appearance for Pools.