Hartlepool United appoint Andy Steel, Lennie Lawrence and John Pearson to newly-created roles on the club's board

The announcement comes after chairman Raj Singh expressed his intention to take a step back from the day-to-day running of the club, with Steel coming in to oversee commercial operations, Lawrence focusing on the football and Pearson leading supporter engagement initiatives.

The trio have taken up their directorial positions with immediate effect.

Steel, who was born and raised in the area, spent over 30 years working at Hartlepool College and oversaw the £53 million construction of the town centre college campus, which opened in 2011.

With an impressive CV that includes board level roles at the likes of Hartlepool Business Forum, Changing Futures North East and Orange Box Training Solutions, the lifelong Pools fan takes on the new role having already supported a number of the club's commercial ventures while also holding an ambassadorial role.

Lennie Lawrence, meanwhile, is a familiar face to Poolies and indeed football fans across the country, boasting well over 1,000 games as a manager, most recently while in caretaker charge of Pools prior to the appointment of Kevin Phillips.

Lawrence led Middlesbrough to the top flight ahead of the inaugural Premier League season in 1992 and has vast experience at clubs including Charlton, Bradford and Luton.

Already a popular figure, the 76-year-old steps into the new position having worked closely with Phillips as assistant manager.

John Pearson is a lifelong season ticket holder at Pools who, combined with a distinguished career in the chemical manufacturing industry, has worked with the club on a number of supporters initiatives while serving as a trustee of The Hart of our Club 1908.

Following the announcement, chairman Raj Singh told the club website: "I'm delighted that Andy, Lennie and John have all accepted positions.

"I'd like to ensure that there are solid and shared responsibilities in place at board level moving forward that supplement my position as chairman.

"There is a good balance of skill sets across the three and I'm sure they will support and become excellent additions to the club.

"Andy will primarily focus on commercial, Lennie on football and John on fan engagement, though they will overlap on some general duties also.

"Both Andy and John have lifelong affiliations with Pools which was important and John specifically is going to look at ways in which fans can be heard more effectively by establishing a formal platform for supporter groups to represent and feedback through him to the board.

"We may look to add further directors to the board in due course and will release more information as to how the full board will work in the coming weeks."