Gavin Strachan

Gavin Strachan was one of Neale Cooper`s first signings for Hartlepool United and made his debut on the opening day of the 2003/04 season at Peterborough. A goal in that game helped to establish a reputation as a free-kick specialist. He scored five goals that season and his crosses from set pieces created many other chances. An injury towards the end of the season saw him lose his place in the side to Antony Sweeney and for the whole of the next season he was in and out of the side, though he did provide the cross from which Jon Daly scored the goal that so nearly won the playoff final against Sheffield Wednesday.

The son of Gordon the former Scottish international, Strachan is a hard-working, no-frills midfielder. He found himself out of the first team for a large part of the 2005/06 campaign, and had only recently re-established himself when a broken leg finished his season. With relegation confirmed the club exercised an option in Strachan`s contract to keep him at Victoria Park.

With new manager Danny Wilson bringing several new midfielders to the club in 2006, Strachan found himself out of the first team and took the chance to join Peterborough on a month`s loan when the transfer window opened in January 2007. He later made the move to London Road a permanent one.