Antony Sweeney names his highlight from spell as Hartlepool United caretaker manager

The United legend led the side to three wins, one draw and one defeat in a spell that not only lifted the spirits at the club but bought those in charge time to assess their options and make the right appointment.

That appointment is former AFC Fylde manager Dave Challinor who was announced at the Pools manager to be ahead of the Solihull match.

The 1-0 defeat at Victoria Park is set to be Sweeney’s last in temporary charge.

It’s a spell he’s learned a lot from as a coach as he picked out his main highlight of the past month.

“I think the first 44 minutes at Notts County for me, I really do,” Sweeney said when asked about his best moment in charge.

“I know the result didn’t go our way but like I said at the time, it would have been quite easy for the players not to fully invest in what we were doing only being in temporary charge if you like.

“There was a lot of time we spent watching Notts County and their strengths and their weaknesses.

“We spent a lot of time spent devising a training plan to give the players those pictures and those scenarios and how we were going to exploit it.

“So to see the players actually carry that out to the level they did, as I said and I stand by that it was almost to perfection.

“I couldn’t have done this without Ian McGuckin and what me and him had thought about and how it might look, we pictured it but it was never as good as it actually proved to be.

“We were a minute away from going in at half-time 2-0 up and possibly going on to win a game at one of the toughest places to go in this league.

“It had the feel of a Football League game, with 800 fans behind us which you just don’t see at this level so it was a unique game in that respect and the highlight for me.”