Pools take plunge for Hartley

By Jon Couch

CONTENDER: Former Pools ace Peter Hartley

FORMER Hartlepool United captain Peter Hartley has emerged as a front-runner to become Pools’ new manager following the brutal sacking of Simon Grayson.

Grayson, inset, paid the price for a run of just one win in 11 games and described his side’s 1-1 draw at Step 3 Gainsborough Trinity in the FA Cup last Saturday as a “lucky result”.

Within hours, Pools ended Grayson’s four-month reign at Victoria Park, leaving player-coach Nicky Featherstone to take the reins for Tuesday night’s replay, which they subsequently lost 3-1.

Announcing Grayson’s departure, the club said in a statement: “Following discussions yesterday evening [Saturday] and a board meeting this [Sunday] morning, it became clear that expectations with performances and results have not been met.

“Obtaining one win in the past 11 games falls short of the required standard; therefore, the board of directors have collectively made the extremely difficult decision to relieve Simon of his duties.”

As a result, controversial owner Raj Singh is now looking for his seventh manager since the turn of 2024 – and is rumoured to have popular former skipper Hartley high on his list of potential candidates.

Hartley, who was born in Hartlepool and still lives in the town, made 188 appearances for Pools across two spells and still ranks as the club’s youngest ever captain at the age of 23.

Now 37, Hartley has worked in ious coaching ching var-roles over the past four years, including stints at Middlesbrough, Sunderland and newly-formed Indian League side Inter Kashi before joining the coaching staff at St Mirren, working under his former Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson.

Featherstone took charge of yesterday’s trip to Sutton United and told the club’s YouTube channel: “I was pretty hurt and embarrassed after Tuesday. It wasn’t a nice place to be.

“But we’ve got an opportunity to put that right and now we’re look-ing for a reaction.”