Hartlepool United owner Raj Singh hits out at former manager Craig Hignett following comments that he wasn't backed in the summer

Hignett claimed that he wasn’t backed in the summer as he was tasked to reduce the club’s wage bill by £200,000 while also assembling a competitive squad.

He made seven permanent signings with a further two joining on loan.

But an underwhelming start to the National League season saw Singh come to the decision to relieve Hignett of his duties.

Singh admitted sacking Hignett was one of the toughest professional decisions he’s had to make despite not contacting his former employee before hand.

And in his matchday programme column, Singh proceeded to make a thinly veiled dig at Hignett as he said: “Work ethic and commitment, that was something that was concerning us and something we felt had been lacking a little bit over the eighteen months we have been in charge of the club.

“In that respect, I was disappointed to hear Craig’s comments last week regarding him receiving no backing during the summer.

“I don’t want to get into a slanging match because everybody around the club will know differently, but I have always believed in the old saying: ‘People who can, do it – people who can’t, talk about it.’

“We’ve picked up seven points from our last [four] National League games now; if we had done that from the start of the season then we would have been top of the league and wouldn’t be sitting here making excuses or pointing fingers.”