A month by month assessment of Hartlepool United's 2023/24 National League season as Pools prepare for final game of turbulent campaign
By Robbie Stelling
Published 16th Apr 2024, 12:36 BST
From the heady heights of August to a dismal December, January’s fightback to a mixed March, here’s how Hartlepool United’s season played out, month by month.
With just one more game to go before the 2023/24 National League season comes to a close, here’s a look back at the highs and lows from a Pools’ campaign that’s had plenty of both:
5. December
John Askey was sacked on December 30 after a month during which the Pools defence were far too generous with their Christmas gifts, shipping 11 goals in five games. December began with a 5-1 FA Trophy win over City of Liverpool, which was less than convincing despite the scoreline after the Northern League side more than matched Pools until an extremely harsh red card tipped the balance in favour of the full-time team. Youngster Louis Stephenson announced himself with an added time goal and, alongside fellow teenager Campbell Darcy, signed a first professional contract with the club. Pools fought back from going 3-0 down in 28 minutes to salvage a point in a bizarre 4-4 draw with Wealdstone but two comprehensive defeats to Oldham over the festive period signalled the end for Askey, who was relieved of his duties after 11 months in charge. Photo: FRANK REID
Veteran Lennie Lawrence drew on all his experience from over 1,000 games and almost five decades in management to steer Pools through a difficult period as caretaker manager. The 76-year-old surprised a lot of supporters with his openness and energy and led Pools to a couple of much-needed wins. He returned the armband to Nicky Featherstone and was helped by the return of Anthony Mancini, who scored a stunning long range winner at Ebbsfleet on January 20. Kevin Phillips, who was watching from the stands in Kent, was announced as the new manager on the same day, although he had to wait one more game before getting stuck in as he served a ban left over from his time at South Shields. Experienced defender Tom Parkes had arrived just before the new boss, while two-time National League winning captain Luke Waterfall was just behind him as Pools made some shrewd signings. The returning Mani Dieseruvwe shrugged off a bang to the head to score twice as the new era under Phillips began with a 2-1 win over York. Photo: FRANK REID 2022
Phillips surprised even the most optimistic of supporters with a superb start to life in the Pools hotseat, winning three and drawing one of the first four games in February. The month ended with defeat to high-flying Solihull but the new boss had totally transformed the mood at his new club, who now looked as much like making a late push for the play-offs as being relegation fodder. Photo: Frank Reid
Defeat to Barnet was followed by two weeks without a game. Pools kept a first home clean sheet in 14 months during a goalless draw with Southend on their return as Phillips handed Pete Jameson the gloves in favour of Joel Dixon. Jameson produced some superb stops in a 1-1 draw with Eastleigh but watched his defence collapse in front of him just three days later as Pools conceded six second half goals to lose 7-1 to Gateshead, their heaviest defeat in 28 years. Phillips described the humbling as one of the worst days of his life but managed to galvanise his players, who bounced back with a 1-0 win over a Halifax side who arrived in the North East with 21 points from the last 24 available. Mani Dieseruvwe, who had been called into the England C squad at the beginning of the month, became just the fourth Pools player in 50 years to score 20 league goals in a single season when he struck the winner from the spot. Photo: FRANK REID
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