Gabbiadini joins Hartlepool

Gabbiadini had been expected to join Darlington

Hartlepool have snatched Marco Gabbiadini from under the noses of Darlington.

Gabbiadini had been training with the Quakers, who he played for between 1998 and 2000, and was widely expected to agree a deal with them.

But Pools boss Neale Cooper has stepped in to sign the 35-year-old following his release from Northampton.

Cooper told the club's official website: "We've been looking around for quite a few days now.

"We knew that Marco was available and checked him out - he's very fit and strong. All of our strikers are young and he will be a tremendous help to them, they'll learn a lot from training and playing with him.

"He's also the type of player you'd rather have on your side than play against, which is important too."

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