Hartlepool United willing to splash cash to land top managerial target

And the director of football has also made it clear the new boss will be backed in the transfer market by the Pools owner.

Hignett confirmed Singh is willing to pay compensation to land a manager currently in employment at another outfit - if it's in the best interests of the club.

This would be an unprecedented move for Pools, who even in times of IOR ownership would shop solely in the 'out of work' managers category.

"We will not rule anything out. It all depends on the candidates," said Hignett.

"We can bring players in. We prefer our own players to loan ones, of course. But we are where we are at the moment. The new man will have his own targets and ideas and obviously we will crack on with them.

"There is a bit of room to bring players in and we will not rule out going for another manager in work."

A number of managerial candidates have already put their hat in the ring to land the Pools' job, with Mark Maguire and Hignett inundated with applications and declarations of interest.

Hignett hopes the process does not drag on too long, especially with himself in the dugout until the new man is through the door.

"I am hoping this is sorted out quickly," he said.

"But as long as we get the right man and it is best for the club it can take weeks. From a personal perspective I do not want it to be too long."

Hignett says when Bates was sacked on Wednesday the club did not already have plans for his successor.

"It was unexpected so it was not something we had planned for. In a way we were caught on the hop a bit," he said.

"It is Mark Maguire's job now to sift through the good CVs and the bad ones and put a shortlist together."