Dave Challinor reveals what impressed him most about Hartlepool United after joining the club as manager

The 44-year-old had been manager at Fylde for eight years prior to his dismissal and had several outstanding contractual issues to sort out when Pools approached the former Tranmere Rovers defender about their vacant manager’s position.

And after an extended process, Challinor was finally confirmed as manager last Monday.

He admitted he would have looked to take a break from football had it not been for the potential of Hartlepool as a club and what they were offering in terms of a vision for the future.

When discussing what had impressed him most about Pools leading up to and following his arrival, Challinor said: “It’s the plans that are in place here that have really excited me.

“Over the last few years I think there’s been a little bit of turmoil in terms of what’s happened but now there’s a definite plan in place to move the club forward and there’s good people involved who are trying to do that.

“That for me is the big thing and the thing that was very refreshing when I first spoke to the chairman [Raj Singh] and Mark [Maguire] was that they recognise where they are and where the club is.

“They know that they need a little bit of help and leadership on the pitch and with things going on off the pitch to try and get that foothold to build.

“I don’t wholly agree you have to go completely ‘non-league’ as a club but I think you have to accept where you are and supporters need to accept where you are.

“That can be the hardest thing to get over especially when you look at where you’ve come from.

“I think that can sometimes stop you building and progressing.

“But we’ve got to give them something to shout about and recognise how we’re playing and what is required to get out of the league.

“It’s almost a blank canvas for me coming out of a job I’d been in for a long time. It is really refreshing but also really exciting.”