BEN Clark admits a summer of reflection is on the cards The Hartlepool United midfielder was part of Saturday’s end of season whacking at Bristol Rovers, a result he admits was an embarrassment.

Pools have stayed in League One for another season, but Clark accepts that the team that ended the season won’t be the same one which starts the next campaign in August.

He is one of the players under contract throughout the summer and the new signings planned at Victoria Park mean he should revert back to central defence.

“All in all it’s a disappointing display and result and we can only say sorry,’’ he confessed.

“Hopefully we can have a good summer – not forget about it, but come back fresh.

“I am sure there will be new faces coming and people going from the club.

“Personally I’ll have a look at myself over the summer as I think every pro will do because we just let ourselves down this year.

“I think we just need to be more solid as a unit next season and it might have to be new faces.

“I don’t know what the situation is with certain players but I’m still here and the games I’ve played in defence, we’ve conceded goals then as well.

“You feel a bit embarrassed to stay up after getting beat 4-1 and having to rely on other teams.’’ Clark is now into his fifth year at Victoria Park and has been involved in a play-off season, a promotion campaign, a relegation and two seasons when Pools have been threatened by the drop.

“It’s very disappointing because we’ve let ourselves down and the fans down all season,’’ he reflected. “But the main thing is we’ve stayed in the league and hopefully we’ll go away and plan things for next season.

“Conceding goals has been the problem all season.

“It’s something we haven’t learned throughout the season.

It’s not just the defence, it’s throughout the whole team.

“I think every player was nervous and we weren’t showing our true potential and it was the worst possible start.

“They were two dreadful starts to both halves.’’