Hartlepool United manager Graeme Lee returns to duty after overcoming COVID-19 which kept him away from Rochdale and Swindon Town defeats

Pools confirmed Lee’s return to training on Tuesday as the 43-year-old took control of first-team duties for the first time in over a week.

Lee was in the dugout for Good Friday’s defeat to Port Vale but missed the trip to Rochdale three days later having contracted the virus.

Lee was said to have been struggling with symptoms in the evening prior to the trip to the Crown Oil Arena before testing positive.

Assistant manager Michael Nelson, who had stepped in for Lee at Rochdale, was hopeful the Pools boss would return for the weekend defeat by Swindon Town after producing a negative test result on the eve of the game but Lee remained away from the Suit Direct Stadium once more for the clash with the Robins.

Speaking after that defeat Nelson provided an update on Lee saying: “He’s fine. He’s just frustrated.

“Symptoms have pretty much gone. He was unable to get here today though but we’re hoping he’ll be back in for the early part of next week and ready for us to build into the game next Saturday.”

Despite being away from duties, Lee has still been tuned in to Pools’ fixtures and has remained in constant contact with Nelson and the rest of the coaching staff.

“He was inputting all the way through the game. He was texting and making subs and tweaks to the system,” Nelson told The Mail.

“He spoke to me at half-time before we went in and addressed the players and spoke again at the end of the game as well so he’s had as much input as he can from where he is.

“He’s obviously frustrated having to watch it on a laptop because he doesn’t see the same picture as what he would see here but I still don’t think it changes his view on the game.”

But Pools have now confirmed Lee’s return to the club’s Maiden Castle training facility ahead of Saturday’s penultimate League Two fixture of the season at Scunthorpe United.