Central midfield player Stephen Turnbull was captain of the Pools youth team that finished in third place in the Dallas Cup Super Group in 2005. By that time he had already been handed a first-team debut, his low shot creating the chance that saw Antony Sweeney complete a hat-trick against Chesterfield in October 2004. An energetic player who is comfortable on the ball, Turnbull was given further first-team exposure in 2005 and looked a useful prospect in a struggling side. In late 2006 Turnbull became involved in controversy while on loan at Bury. The Gigg Lane side were thrown out of the 2006/07 FA Cup for fielding Turnbull in their second round replay win over Chester City. The FA had not received the necessary paperwork granting Bury permission to play the Pools midfielder. During 2007/08 Turnbull was a key player for the reserve team as they won their league but, apart from one fleeting substitute appearance at Doncaster, he never got near the first team again. He was released in May 2008.