Centre half Jake Lawlor joined Pools in the summer of 2021 with the club newly promoted back to the Football League. He never managed to force his way into the first team reckoning, with his appearances limited to a match in the Papa John's Trophy, and a late run-out as a substitute at Barrow. He spent most of the first half of the 2021/22 season out on loan, first at National League Bromley and then a step lower at Darlington. He was released in January 2022.