Why has ex-Sunderland forward Chris Maguire not made his Hartlepool United debut yet? Keith Curle explains
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Maguire joined Hartlepool on a free transfer – under former manager Paul Hartley – following his exit from League One side Lincoln City earlier this season.
Maguire had been suspended by the Imps following an alleged breach of the Football Association’s betting rules between March 2017 and February of this year.
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Hide AdMaguire has yet to feature for Hartlepool since signing, with what was suggested as being registration issues, before ex-boss Hartley also confirmed the 33-year-old has been dealing with a foot injury.


But the situation with Maguire still appears someway from being resolved, with Curle admitting there remains plenty of issues to iron out including where the club stand with Maguire’s contract.
“It’s multi-factional as in there’s different elements and different personnel involved,” said Curle.
“You’ve got the football club, then you’ve got Chris, Chris’ agent, then you’ve got the PFA, then you’ve got the EFL and then you’ve got the actual case that's being brought against Chris.
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Hide Ad“The club, ultimately, have got to be comfortable with the outcome when we know what that is. At the minute I don’t think there’s been a date set for if a potential hearing does go ahead.


“So it's very difficult to comment as a football club, or on behalf of the football club, without having a clear guideline of what we’re dealing with.”
Curle added: “It’s between the EFL, the PFA, the player, the players’ agent and the football club with the wording of a contract.
“I think a contract was offered and it got rejected, firstly, by the PFA and then the EFL, so it’s trying to get that collaboration of trying to get everybody on the same page.
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Hide Ad“What a football club can’t do is commit to a player, with the potential then of him not being available.
“Chris Maguire is an excellent player.
"He’s got a first division pedigree and then will command a wage to attract him here.
"What you don’t want to do is pay a player a wage where he can’t perform.
"That’s wasting the supporters’ and the football clubs’ money and the football club is in a position where it’s not going to waste any money.”