Craig Hignett discusses the future of Hartlepool United coaching duo Ged McNamee and Ross Turnbull

Bates was the man who brought his former youth coach McNamee and friend Turnbull to the Super 6 Stadium at the back end of last season.

At first the coaches were unpaid, then when sacked Bates got the job on a permanent basis the duo were added to the payroll.

Their good work has not gone unnoticed by director of football and current caretaker Craig Hignett, as well as chairman Raj Singh.

And as a result, Hignett has revealed that even when a new manager comes through the door the pair are still wanted at Pools.

He said: "Ged and Ross are two people we have a lot of respect for. There is some continuity there with those two involved.

"It is not a clean sweep and we don't want that to be the case. We want to keep people who have done well for the club. Ged and Ross have done that.

"It is not going to be a massive change. We get that the new man may want to come in and bring an assistant but he will also have to work with what we have here."

Hignett has revealed it was Singh who asked him to step in to the role of caretaker, ahead of former Sunderland academy boss McNamee and former Champions League winning goalkeeper Turnbull.

"It was the chairman's decision," he said.

"When it was made, we are a body light. I have been there and done it works for me to step in."