Anthony Limbrick's Hartlepool United tenure assessed

The writing seemed to be on the wall for the charismatic, energetic and determined Limbrick, who became the first ever Australian to take charge of Pools when he replaced Lennie Lawrence in February, after the club were linked with a move for Boston United manager Graham Coughlan last week.

While Pools were rumoured to have been rebuffed by the Pilgrims, who are already well underway with their preparations for next season, it felt like a matter of time before a change in the dugout. Simon Grayson, who has won promotion with the likes of Blackpool, Leeds, Huddersfield and Preston, becomes Raj Singh's 12th permanent managerial appointment since he took over the club in 2018; of those, only promotion-winning boss Dave Challinor survived for more than a year in the role, while none of the previous four incumbents managed more than six months. Grayson, who has not managed in England since 2021 and has never taken charge of a non-league side, has a daunting task ahead of him.

There have been many managers who have tried to buck the depressing trend of instability in the dugout at Victoria Park. Pools have opted for experience with the likes of Dave Jones, Richard Money, Keith Curle, Lennie Lawrence and John Askey, as well as up-and-coming managers such as Graeme Lee, Dave Challinor and Kevin Phillips. There have been straight-talkers like Darren Sarll and Paul Hartley as well as smooth talkers like Limbrick. Hartlepool United has seen a staggering number of different characters, approaches and footballing philosophies in recent years.

There were high hopes for Limbrick following his appointment, initially as head coach and assistant to Lawrence in November, and then later as the main man following the veteran's decision to take a step back following a run of four games without a win at the beginning of February. The Australian represented another change of tack and his enthusiasm and determination provided a refreshing antidote to the bullish Sarll, who oversaw the first 15 games of the campaign, and the more reserved and pragmatic Lawrence, who steadied the ship for the next 16 matches.

While he might not have had the most formidable reputation, he also arrived without any sort of baggage the likes of which dogged Sarll, who left his previous role at Woking under a cloud. Having spent time working in the academies of Southampton and West Ham, as well as a brief stint with the England under-17s, Limbrick turned his hand to management. Having not had a professional playing career, he had to explore various avenues, taking charge of National League side Woking before an interim spell at Grimsby, followed by a stint at Welsh side The New Saints, where he became the first ever Australian manager to win a European league title, pipping Celtic's Ange Postecoglou by a matter of weeks. From there, he took charge of Gibraltar's Manchester 62 but resigned as the club struggled with financial issues. After a spell working in Peterborough's academy, he joined Pools in November.

It was almost universally expected he would replace Lawrence in the summer. However, it came as something of a surprise when he was thrust into the role earlier than anticipated in a bid to re-energise his new side's faltering play-off push. Whether that was ever a realistic prospect is up for debate; Pools had lost influential attacking pair Joe Grey and Anthony Mancini to serious injuries and were without a win in their last four, failing to beat strugglers Wealdstone, Woking and Braintree and being comprehensively outplayed by leaders Barnet.

The initial signs were good and Pools beat play-off chasing Sutton in Limbrick's first game in charge thanks to a fearless approach and experimental 3-5-2 formation. With a run of three home games in a row to look forward to, there was genuine optimism that Pools might be able to string some results together and gatecrash the top seven. Yet it was to be a week that promised so much but delivered so little; Pools produced three pretty poor performances and managed just two points from a possible nine, leaving them stranded in mid-table.

Things got worse before they got better. Pools lost four on the bounce and at one stage looked like getting dragged into a relegation battle as Limbrick grappled with his team selection, making a whole host of changes to his side and formation, leaving leading scorer Mani Dieseruvwe on the bench for three games in succession and dropping Reyes Cleary, who was just beginning to hit his stride, ahead of a defeat to relegation-threatened AFC Fylde in March.

Yet, in time, things did get better. Pools thumped an in-form Boston side who arrived in the North East unbeaten in their last six to assuage any relegation worries, setting out on a run of three wins in a row as well as six matches unbeaten. While slim hopes of a late surge into the top seven were ended by a draw against Dagenham and Redbridge in April - Pools played most of the game with 10 men following Louis Stephenson's first ever career red card - Limbrick's side produced one of their best performances of the campaign to beat rivals Gateshead 3-2 on the home stretch. True, the season ended in disappointment following a 5-1 mauling at play-off chasing Rochdale, but there were signs that things were beginning to head in the right direction. Hope for the future, perhaps.

Although five wins from 17 matches represents a pretty unremarkable return, it does not tell the whole story. Dealing with off-field issues is part and parcel of being a football manager, especially at Hartlepool United. Even Lennie Lawrence, with his five decades of experience, had trouble fending off questions about a training ground bust-up that was leaked online during his time in charge. Yet Limbrick, still relatively inexperienced, had to navigate one of the most turbulent few months in the club's recent history. It all started when owner Raj Singh announced his sudden and unexpected decision to resign in March. For all Singh has divided opinion, particularly since relegation back to the National League in 2023, it plunged Pools into a precarious race against time to attract new investment and secure the club's finances. From then, Limbrick's time at the club was littered with unknowns, unexpected club statements and an uncertain future. Through it all, the Australian's passion for the club, the town and its people shone through; his handling of such a difficult and ever-changing situation is perhaps Limbrick's crowning achievement.

While it's true that football is a results business, there was a sense that Limbrick was on the right track. Yet patience is a virtue that Pools do not seem to possess. The club have once again opted for a change, prompting a mixed response from supporters, many of whom felt Limbrick's admirable commitment and sincerity over the last few months had earned him the change to assemble his own squad - after all, he inherited Darren Sarll's team in February - over the summer. Hartlepool United have now, to all intents and purposes, returned to the drawing board once again. Simon Grayson has a huge task on his hands but will be hoping his impressive experience will make him the right man.

Your next Hartlepool United read: How Limbrick's Pools record compares to his 14 predecessors following his departure