Hartlepool United confirm appointment of two new board members – Raj Singh labels it 'a huge coup'

Hartlepool United have confirmed the appointment of two new board members.
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Adrian Bevington and Lee Rust have taken up official roles on Pools’ board as a non-executive director and senior advisor respectively.

Rust has been working in an advisory role at the club for the past year, assisting with various off-field matters including supporting manager Dave Challinor and helping secure a partnership with Durham University which saw the training ground switch to the state of the art Maiden Castle.

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His new official role at Victoria Park as a senior advisor will be centred around the club’s longer-term business strategy in order to help establish a more sustainable Hartlepool United.

Victoria Park  (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)Victoria Park  (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)
Victoria Park (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

Rust told the club website: “It’s been a real privilege to work with Hartlepool United over the past year and it’s something that I’ve enjoyed greatly. The club has truly remarkable support from its fans, staff and chairman and it has so much potential. I’m looking forward to hopefully helping the club unlock more of that potential and taking the next steps in the journey.”

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Bevington’s experience in football includes working at The FA, Nottingham Forest and Middlesbrough as well as UEFA, The Welsh FA and others.

His main role as a non-executive director at Pools will be to support matters ‘in an advisory capacity’ to help the club re-establish its academy and recruitment set-up.

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Bevington said: “With such a feeling of positivity around the club, I’m delighted that Raj has asked me to join Hartlepool United as a non-executive director.

"Watching the games has been brilliant with the fantastic atmosphere the fans are generating at Victoria Park and away from home. This in combination with the outstanding job Dave Challinor, his staff and the team are doing has given the club superb foundations to build on.

“Hopefully I can draw on my experience and relationships in the game to support Raj [Singh], Lee, Dave, Stephen [Hobin] and all the loyal and hard working staff to help continue with this positive momentum.”

Chairman, Raj Singh, commented: “I think the formal appointments of both Lee and Adrian are further proof that people are starting to believe in this club and what it can go to achieve.

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Lee and I have spoken at length over the past year about strengthening the board in key positions with a view of longer term goals.

“Lee’s background in professional sport, commercial and facility development has been evident in spades. He has quietly and professionally gone about business behind the scenes over the last 12 months, putting in a lot of hours and he’s done a tremendous job for us in some key areas, including with the manager’s contract. I’m delighted to secure him moving forward.

“I’m also delighted to newly welcome Adrian to the club. People in football will likely know Adrian and I genuinely feel it is a huge coup for a club in league two to secure somebody of his calibre and with his contacts.

"He is a massive football fan and wants to get involved to help and make a difference. He was at the Rangers match last week and then Newcastle v Leeds on Friday and then travelled to Oldham with me on Saturday – you don’t cover those sorts of miles unless you love the game!”

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