Hartlepool United legend lands assistant manager's job

Barron, who captained Pools to the League One play-off final and won two promotions at Victoria Park, will work alongside fellow former Pools stalwart Michael Nelson, who is the manager.

Barron, who played almost 400 times for Pools and is the club's ninth highest appearance maker of all-time, has spent the last few seasons covering matches for BBC Radio Tees Sport. While his appointment means he'll be taking a step back from his radio duties, presenter, host and commentator Rob Law revealed he would remain part of the team.

The former full-back, who has also had two separate stints as interim boss in the North East, has never been shy of criticising Pools, especially during the trials and tribulations of last season. Owner and chairman Raj Singh, who has been at the centre of a storm of controversy in recent months, is believed to have taken aim at Barron in an interview with former Tyne Tees Television presenter Paul Frost when he blasted "an ex-player who wants his couple of minutes of fame on the radio". Barron subsequently took to X to offer his own strong response to Singh's comments.

In May last year, Barron was diagnosed with heart failure. He decided to go public with the news in a bid to encourage others who had concerns about their health to get themselves checked out. Barron was initially reluctant to go to the doctor's but, after some gentle encouragement from his wife, was diagnosed early enough that his condition is now manageable and is not expected to deteriorate. "If you're having problems, don't wait," he urged. "It can make a massive difference, don't let it drag on. If I had let it drag on longer, it could have been a lot worse and a lot more serious."

Your next Hartlepool United read: Long-serving defender set to leave Pools