Mansfield Town announce the signing of Hartlepool United’s Rhys Oates

Rhys Oates becomes Nigel Clough’s latest recruit as the highly-rated forward signs for the Stags after the expiration of his contract with Hartlepool United.

The 26-year-old, who scored 18 goals in 40 games in the Pools’ National League promotion campaign last season, has put pen to paper on a two-year deal at NG18.

He started his career at Barnsley, but before making his first-team appearance for the Oakwell based club, he would go out on loan to Gainsborough, Stockport, Grimsby and Chester.

During the 2014/15 season, the forward would finally go on to feature for Barnsley’s first-team. He made nine appearances in League One and one in the FA Cup as he managed a total of 118 minutes for the Yorkshire club.

In July 2015, Oates signed for Hartlepool and he ended up making over 40 appearances in all competitions that season.

The following season, he played 27 times for the Pools with the forward going out on loan to Gateshead during the campaign that saw Hartlepool relegated down to the National League.

Oates scored seven goals in the fifth tier during the 2017/18 season, but the forward decided to move away, signing for Morecambe in July 2018.

After two seasons in Lancashire, making 44 appearances in all competitions, scoring six goals and assisting three times, he made his return to Hartlepool by signing for the Pools in August 2020.

Scoring 15 times during the National League season, Oates would score an extra three goals during the play-offs, which saw his side promoted as they beat Torquay United on penalties in the final at Ashton Gate.

The forward was named as the club’s Players’ Player and Fans’ Player of the Year but decided to change clubs after the expiration of his contract.

Speaking immediately after signing his two-year deal with the club, Oates went onto say:

“I met the manager [Nigel Clough] and went to the training ground [The RH Academy] on Saturday.

“The way the gaffer spoke and where he thinks the club can go, along with the setup where I’ll be training week-in, week-out, I thought it was a perfect fit for me.

“It [The RH Academy] is a great setup, where I know as a team, we’ll get on together well.

“With any club you go to, you have to come in and prove yourself. I’ll work as hard as I can in pre-season.”

With pre-season training underway for the Stags, Oates and the rest of the squad will be preparing for the start of the League Two season, with the first game against Bristol Rovers at the One Call Stadium less than a month away.

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