Hartlepool United expected to appoint former Darlington and Hearts executive Martin Jesper as new CEO following Mark Maguire's departure

Hartlepool United look to have completed the search for a new chief executive following the departure of Mark Maguire
Dominic Scurr
By Dominic Scurr
Published 4th Jun 2020, 16:06 BST
Updated 4th Jun 2020, 19:03 BST

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

The club is set to announce the appointment former Darlington chief executive Martin Jesper as Maguire’s replacement this week.

Maguire left Victoria Park by mutual agreement on Monday ‘in light of ongoing changes being made at the club’.

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A club statement read that Maguire would continue to assist during the handover process and that supporters would be updated as matters develop.

With no chief executive and just six contracted employees behind the scenes, Pools chairman Raj Singh could now turn to Jesper to be in charge of the club’s day to day operations during an uncertain period. The future remains unclear due to the suspension of football due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Jesper joined Darlington as chief executive in September 2012 following the club’s administration and subsequent demotion to the Northern League.

Following his departure from the Quakers in 2015, a club statement paid tribute to Jesper’s services.

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It read: “Darlington fans owe a huge debt of thanks to Martin for steering the club in a very professional manner through the turbulent financial waters of the last three years.

“He has also spent a huge amount of unpaid personal time and energy on DFC affairs (and also had some sleepless nights on the way, no doubt) to help put the club in a much stronger position. Not only that, he has provided strong support for many people at the club, which is much appreciated.

“He has also presented some magnificent and much-detailed financial reports at fans’ forums, which have greatly helped to explain the various positions that the club has been in.”

After leaving Darlington, Jesper went north of the border to become Hearts’ Head of Strategic Developments.

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During his 18 months at Tynecastle, Jesper helped drive Hearts’ relationship with its foundation and other supporter groups with the view of a potential transition into fan ownership.

With Pools looking to get its supporters more involved at the club in regard to financial support and shares, Jesper’s previous experiences would seem to complement this sort of model.

An announcement is expected to be made by Hartlepool within the next 24 hours.

Related topics:Darlington