Hartlepool have announced Neale Cooper is to return to the club as first-team coach.
Boss expected to recognise 'economic constraints' at Victoria Park
Hartlepool United have announced Neale Cooper is to return to the club and expect their new first-team coach to recognise the club's 'economic constraints'.
The 48-year-old has been named successor to Mick Wadsworth, who was sacked earlier in December after a run of poor form.
Cooper first left Hartlepool in 2005 in order to address what the club have described as 'personal and family issues', but he has now been reappointed at Victoria Park.
The club say they received several applicants for the position, but Cooper was considered the best candidate due to his familiarity and willingness to work on a tight budget.
Micky Barron, who has been in temporary charge since Wadsworth's sacking, will remain at Hartlepool as reserve-team coach.
The League One outfit said in a statement ahead of New Year's Eve's trip to promotion-chasing Sheffield United: "Although the club received many applications for the vacant position and studied all CVs carefully, it was decided that by appointing Neale, and retaining Micky Barron as the reserve team coach, it would cause minimum disruption to the team's main focus which is to climb the division and to try and reverse the current trend of home defeats.
"In addition, Neale is familiar with several of the existing team members, the staff in the office and fully understands the economic constraints that the owners have to keep in place due to the current financially-depressed climate."
