Hignett Dead Set On Taking Pools Back At Third Attempt

Since dropping out of the EFL, Hartlepool have struggled with life in the National League - finishing 15th and 17th in the last two seasons.

It's a slump that saw Hignett become the fourth boss in little under two years - with three changes just last season.

Matthew Bates and Richard Money departed before the ex-Blackburn Rovers midfielder switched the boardroom for the dugout.

From the outset, he had only one aim. To restore the pride of Hartlepool locals in their football team.

"I have an affection for Hartlepool United which goes deeper than my association with most clubs in which I have been involved," Hignett told the club's video service when taking the reigns back in January.

"I was determined that this was a great club deserving of better."

Fast forward five months and there's a different feel about the place. A string of big signings have seen season ticket sales break the 1,500 mark.

Myles Anderson and Ryan Donaldson extended their stay before talisman Liam Noble made it a trio of good news.

Throw in a few exciting signings like Gime Toure, Ben Killip and Lee Molyneux and Hignett might just have found the recipe for success.

“I want to be involved in something at the end of the season, whether that’s promotion or whether it’s play-offs," he told the club's video service. "I want to be involved in exciting games at the end of it."

“We’ll do everything we can to make sure that happens and take all the excuses away from the players – they don’t have any excuses now, the club is set up and geared for us to have a really good season.

“The standards have to change within the Club because we’ve drifted; we won’t be doing that anymore.

“We’ve got to better, and that’s all of us, so as a staff we have to work smarter and better and longer and the players have to do the same.

“They have to do everything they can to make themselves the best they can be because we’re not going to put up with floating through another season."