Hartlepool United boss Keith Curle confirms that loanee Clarke Oduor is to return to Barnsley FC

The former Leeds United player made 14 appearances for Pools, including seven starts. But he has not featured since the FA Cup second round win over Harrogate Town and has not started in the league since the 2-1 win over Grimsby in October.

Speaking to the Hartlepool Mail, Curle said: “Clarke is going back on January 1 so it wasn’t fair to risk him (on Boxing Day) when he’s only got another four or five days with us. But it was important for him to be able to travel.

“I think it’s for the lads benefit as well as ourselves. He hasn’t been gaining the game time.

“I think Clarke would probably agree he came to the football club to get game understanding. He plays the game a lot in the middle of the pitch and technically he’s got good ball mastery, he can service the ball very, very well, but it’s having an impact on the game as well.

“I spoke to him today before the (Boxing Day) game and said I go and watch a lot of under-23’s and under-21’s football and I see lots of people who have got good ball mastery and have good ball technique but they don’t impact the game.

“So I said to Clarke, your next move, when you come off the pitch ask yourself ‘have I impacted the game in a positive way in the final third’ because the kid can be scary when he faces you up.”