Midfielder Ritchie Humphreys has returned to Hartlepool following his month-long loan with Port Vale. The 29-year-old impressed in his seven appearances for the Valiants but Pools boss Danny Wilson was keen for Humphreys to return to Victoria Park.
"We always had in our minds that the move would only be for a month," Wilson told the Hartlepool website.
"Ritchie needed games and he got that at Port Vale - now he comes back to us match fit and you can't ask for more."
Wilson added: "He's an important part of our squad and we want to see him challenging for his place back in the side."
Humphreys joined Pools in 2001 and set a record by starting 231 consecutive league games for the club before his temporary move to Vale Park last month.