Curtis Fleming named Hartlepool United first team coach as Craig Hignett assembles backroom staff

The new boss oversaw an important 2-1 win over Yeovil Town in his first game in charge at The Vic on Saturday thanks to goals from Billy Paynter and Adam Jackson and then confirmed that Fleming will join the coaching set-up on Monday.

The pair played together at Middlesbrough in the 1990s and the former Republic of Ireland international has now agreed to join Hignett at Pools as first team coach.

Hignett has also revealed that he has scope to bring in an assistant manager too, with former Pools midfielder Mark Tinkler among those linked with the role.

"Curtis is a fantastic fella and it’s great news for me that he’s coming in," said Hignett.

"He is someone who the lads will be able to go to with things they might feel uncomfortable talking to the gaffer about – a bit like I was with Colin Cooper, I suppose.

"I've got a bit of scope to bring another person in as Assistant Manager if I want to as well so that’s something I will look at and if the right person is available we can try and get them in too," Hignett told the club's website.

Fleming has a wealth of coaching experience having spent time as assistant manager at Derry City before re-joining Middlesbrough as a youth team coach.

In the summer of 2007 he moved north of the border to assist Mark Proctor at Livingstone before taking up a coaching role at Crystal Palace under former Eagles team-mate Dougie Freedman.

When Freedman moved on to Bolton Wanderers in 2012 he took Fleming with him as first team coach where they spent a further two years working together.