Dave Challinor responds to pre-match criticism aimed at Hartlepool United by Altrincham boss Phil Parkinson

Pools played out a 1-1 draw with Alty on Tuesday evening, just over 48 hours after the newly-promoted club were knocked out of the FA Cup at AFC Fylde.

Robins boss Phil Parkinson said in the build-up to the game at Victoria Park he was disappointed with Pools’ attitude but accepted it was their “prerogative”.

"It was a little bit disappointing in terms of their attitude not to move the game to a Wednesday with what we’ve been through but that is their prerogative to stick to a Tuesday and make it difficult for us, we will certainly remember those types of things moving forward,” said Parkinson on Sunday afternoon.

“When everybody is facing this epidemic you expect football clubs to stick together, Fylde were top drawer in moving the fixture, realising the situation we were in and we appreciate that.

"I wish them all the best, they look favourites to win promotion. They are doing everything right to move in the right direction.

"It is absolutely Hartlepool’s prerogative not to change but it is slightly disappointing with the current climate and what everyone is facing.”

Challinor was honest in his response, admitting self-interest does play its part.

However, the 45-year-old believes it is the same for every club – citing a debate on Monday Night Football between Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher.

“Regardless of what anybody says, everybody is going to look at self-interest,” he told The Mail, when asked about Parkinson’s pre-match comments.

"For us, we’ve got a big game on Saturday on the TV versus Torquay. We’ve then got to travel to Barnet on Tuesday. We then go to Salford in the FA Cup and we’ve got to travel to Yeovil and Eastleigh.

“There was a good debate on Monday Night Football. It’s easy for people to say they would have done this and they would have done that.

“Again, if I want to be pointing the finger, Fylde were accommodating but they weren’t very accommodating for us. Not everybody is looking after each other.

"As Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville said, people were all feeling sorry for Wigan when they had the problems they had but it didn’t take very long for clubs to be taking their players for next to nothing.

“Listen, everybody will have self-interest. My job is to get the best out of the group of players and work for this football club, which I will continue to do.

“I’ve got to look at us and unfortunately if that gets in the way of other people then so beat it.”