Graeme Lee gives Hartlepool United budget admission after outcome with former Fulham defender as Pools continue to negotiate player contracts

Lee has said he understands the frustration around the club as Pools continue to negotiate deals with their players ahead of next season with, so far, only Tom Crawford putting pen to paper on a new contract at the Suit Direct Stadium.

Lee hinted to The Mail that some players may be interested in delaying their decision until the end of the campaign to assess their options but the Pools boss is keen to plan for whichever scenario he may face when it comes to decision time from his players.

Nevertheless, Lee insists he will not break the bank to the detriment of the club in order to keep players after admitting there is a budget in place at the club which is important to maintain.

Pools have seen their finances boosted significantly this season by two excellent cup runs in the EFL Trophy and the FA Cup yielding in excess of £280,000.

And the club last week won their case with Championship side Fulham over the dealings of Luca Murphy with Pools to receive a six-figure sum in compensation for the defender’s exit to Craven Cottage in 2019.

But while Lee acknowledges those bonus incomes will benefit the club, he has stressed the importance of not breaking the club structure when it comes to contracts.

“It's not as straightforward as that,” Lee explained to The Mail.

“The chairman has got the club in a fantastic place and we have to appreciate that. There’s budgets there and we’ve sat down and gone through things.

“The cup runs, and this compensation, can only benefit the club going forward but there’s budgets there to make sure this club can keep moving forward and that’s the main thing.

“You go and break the structure and spend too much on one player then the next one comes in and expects the same.

“So we have to manage the squad and the players and the budget and do the right things.

“But we’re in a good place and there’s plans in place to make sure if we get the ones over the line we want here then brilliant. If we don’t, there’s plans in place.”