During a long career, Poole played in the Premier League for Leicester City and Bolton Wanderers, having also appeared in England's First Division for Aston Villa before the formation of the Premiership.

He also featured for Northampton Town, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool United, Birmingham City and Derby County, before signing for Burton Albion in 2006, aged 43.

[7] He spent the last part of 1990–91 on loan at Hartlepool United, where he started their last 12 games of the season, keeping five clean sheets and never being on the losing side, to clinch promotion from the Fourth Division.

[9][10] Poole moved to Birmingham City in August 1997,[6] achieving a regular place thanks to an injury to Ian Bennett in September 1998.

[11] Bennett, who had regained his place, was ruled out for the season in March 2000, but Poole himself was injured only days later,[12] and played just once more for Birmingham's first team before he was released in May 2001.

Although at the age of 42 he was also registered as a player, this was initially intended only for emergencies;[15] however he was unexpectedly promoted to first choice for a spell due to poor form and injuries affecting young goalkeepers Lee Camp and Lee Grant in a difficult season for the East Midlands club, who narrowly avoided relegation to League One.

After a trial with Walsall,[19] Poole signed for Conference National club Burton Albion on a match-to-match basis in August 2006.

[23] Having made no appearances during 2011–12, Poole announced on 26 April that he would retire from his 32-year playing career, aged 48, at the end of the season, he had been the oldest professional player in England at the time of his retirement[24] However, because of injuries to Stuart Tomlinson and Ross Atkins, he re-registered as a player in October 2012 to provide cover for Dean Lyness and on-loan Mark Oxley,[25] alongside his coaching role.

[32] When Rowett moved on to Stoke City, Poole remained at Derby until July 2018 when new manager Frank Lampard brought in Shay Given as goalkeeping coach.