Ian Bowling joined the club on loan from Lincoln City in time for the beginning of the 1989/90 season. Bowling`s only first team appearance came when Pools crashed 4-0 at Halifax Town. He returned to his parent club as Pools stumbled from bad to worse, managing just nine points by Christmas as Bobby Moncur was replaced as manager by Cyril Knowles. Bowling went on to play around 200 games for Mansfield Town, but will look back on his brief Pools career with less fondness.