Hartlepool captain Andrew Davies reveals he feels he let friend Matthew Bates down

Andrew Davies has given his take on the sacking of friend and former teammate Matthew Bates as Hartlepool United's manager search looks set to rumble on.
Andrew Davies.Andrew Davies.
Andrew Davies.

Pools parted company with Bates last Wednesday and placed director of football Craig Hignett in caretaker of charge of the first-team.

And while it had been hoped significant progress would be made on the managerial hunt this week, it looks like interviews for the post will not take place until early next week. Hignett is again set to take the team at Maidenhead United this weekend.

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Davies, a teammate of Bates at Middlesbrough, admits he feels like he has let his friend down.

Speaking in Blueprint, the Pools skipper, said: “I am really disappointed with what has happened. I think people have got to give Matthew a lot of credit for what he did at the football club last year and for large parts of what has happened this year.

“As a captain, I feel like I have personally let him down. A lot of players should feel like that. It’s not just him, we’re all in this together and I am sure all the lads would say that. We are an honest bunch and we could have done a lot better on the pitch to help him.

“Nobody wants to see anyone lose their job. You do feel responsible and you should – we win together, we lose together.

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“I am sure Matthew will be OK – he’s a good, young manager and I think he will have learned a lot from this experience and wish him well.”

While upset with the way the Bates regime ended, captain Davies is now looking to the future.

And he hopes any new manager comes in with the same vision of the old boss.

“The club has to move on now and whatever happens we will support,” he said.

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“We are a tight-knit group and we have to support Craig Hignett for the time he’s in charge.

“We have a good team spirit – it might have been knocked a little recently but it’s important we come out and show how strong we are as a group and as a football club, fans included.

“Everyone needs to be pulling in the right direction to try and drive this club back in the right direction.

“That was Matthew’s vision, I know it’s Craig’s vision and I am sure that will be what whoever is appointed as manager next will have as their vision, too.”