Hartlepool United manager Kevin Phillips hopes to lean on stint with South Shields as he bids for more success with Pools

Phillips was appointed Mariners manager in January 2022, inheriting a squad of players that were not his own and just missing out on promotion following defeat in the play-off semi-finals.

The former Sunderland striker, who worked successfully with current Pools head of football Joe Monks as well as strength and conditioning coach Lee Moore during his time with Shields, set about on a summer rebuild before guiding the Mariners to promotion the following season.

Phillips, who has often spoken of the need for an overhaul of the Pools squad, took over at the Suit Direct Stadium in January of this year and will be hoping his arrival date is not the only similarity with his time at Shields.

And the Pools boss admitted he'll lean on his time in Jarrow as he bids for more second season success.

"As a manager, you have to learn from what you've done in the past," he said.

"Albeit it's a different level, but it's still putting together a squad, blending the right types of players and getting characters in the dressing room.

"For me, it's crucial and it's something that I will be drawing on.

"I worked with Joe (Monks) then, and now we've got Ronnie (Moore, chief scout) coupled with Lennie (Lawrence), so we've got huge experience there.

"I've spent so much time looking at players I’m starting to get square eyes.

"I want to try and get it as right as I possibly can.

"I'm not going to get every player right that you bring in, but I think at Shields we got 95 per cent of them right.

"If you can do that, you give yourselves a chance."