Hartlepool United boss Ronnie Moore upset to be shown door but wishes Pools well

Hartlepool United manager Ronnie Moore celebrating the great escape after the 2-1 win over Exeter last season. Picture by FRANK REID

Speaking exclusively to SportMail, Moore said he was “gutted” when chairman Gary Coxall called him in today to relieve him of his manager’s position.

The 63-year-old engineered the Great Escape last season after taking over with the club adrift at the foot of the League Two table.

But he was sacked today with Pools in 22nd place and just four points clear of the relegation zone, albeit with a number of games in hand on the clubs around them in the table.

“I’m shocked,” he admitted. “But, there again, nothing shocks you in football.

“But I’ve enjoyed every minute, it’s been an absolutely unbelievable time, even if it’s not particularly good at this present moment.

“I don’t think we were a million miles away from getting it right.

“May be the new-manager-syndrome will kick in and the team will get on a run which I thought was coming.

“May be it’s what’s needed, I don’t know.”

Pools tonight appointed his fellow Scouser, Craig Hignett, as his successor and the new manager will be unveiled tomorrow at Victoria Park.

Moore says he wishes Pools well and has no feelings of bitterness towards Coxall and the owners.

“I am disappointed but the chairman felt that a decision had to be made,” he said.

“He’s done what he believes is the right thing for the club and I truly wish him all the luck in the world.

“Fair play to the chairman for the backing he gave me since JPNG took over the club.

“I am gutted I am not going to be a part of it any more.”

Moore said he would be forever proud of the Great Escape, something he rates as his great achievement in a managerial career spanning almost 1,000 games.#

“It is my greatest achivement in my time in football, better than anything I’ve ever done in fact,” he explained.

“When you think of where we are back in the dark days to where we finished in the end.

“I know some fans have had a moan and a groan [this season] and no-one likes being down where we are now.

“But I’d like to think lots of fans appreciate what we did, it’s just a shame things didn’t move on as we’d hoped and thought they would.”