‘A bit of a rush now’ to make permanent manager appointment at Hartlepool United – says interim boss Antony Sweeney

Pools travel to face fifth placed Port Vale in League Two on Saturday (3pm kick-off), hoping to avoid a fifth straight league defeat.

The club’s managerial search is now into its fourth week and the need to make an appointment is growing increasingly urgent as games go by.

Having watched the club slide to 15th in the table following their worst run of league results since December 2018, Sweeney admits there is ‘a bit of a rush’ for the club to make an appointment.

But for the time being, he will continue his interim duties as normal.

“Until I'm told otherwise, we'll prepare for Port Vale,” he said. “There’s not enough time between games to dwell because they're coming thick and fast and the training sessions are minimal between the games so it's just about cracking on as best we can.

"In terms of the appointment, I've always said it will be results orientated. If there wasn't a rush to appoint a new manager then I'm pretty sure after these defeats there will be a bit of a rush now.

"The fans will demand it, the club will demand it and that's fair and that's where we're at.

"I said I'll do the job as long as I could to buy the club time and I'll continue to do that until a decision is made.”

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