Hartlepool United takeover: Anthony Limbrick responds to mounting concerns following another dramatic day

Following Easter Monday's statement win over rivals Gateshead, the Australian must have been hoping the focus would be on his side's impressive performance when he met with the press on Thursday morning.

However, Limbrick once again had to face a whole host of questions about the club's uncertain future after the interim board released a statement on Wednesday suggesting it was "highly unlikely" that a takeover would be completed before the end of the season on May 5, when current owner Raj Singh has vowed to stop funding the club. In the meantime, Pools are set to begin selling season tickets ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, with the marketing slogan "United as One" calling on fans to come together and support their club at a challenging time. Although the statement insisted that funds from the sale of season tickets would be "ringfenced" and "only used within the club to maintain operations beyond the end of the season", many fans are understandably sceptical about the prospect of parting with their own hard-earned cash while the future of Pools remains up in the air.

Limbrick, still a relatively inexperienced manager despite spells with Woking, Welsh side The New Saints and Gibraltar's Manchester 62, has had to navigate a host of challenging scenarios since replacing veteran Lennie Lawrence at the beginning of February, with the club thrown into tumult weeks later when Raj Singh announced his sudden resignation. Despite a tough start on the pitch - after beating Sutton in his first game in the dugout, Limbrick oversaw a miserable run of eight matches without a win - Pools have made significant strides in recent weeks, winning four of their last six games. Indeed, Limbrick's side are third in the form table over the last eight weeks and there is a sense that Pools have the basis of a very competitive squad.

Of course, none of that will matter if Pools cannot secure investment soon. If Singh holds true to his vow to stop funding the club after the game against Forest Green Rovers, then Pools run the risk of losing a number of their star players, with prize assets Mani Dieseruvwe, Nathan Sheron and Joe Grey all out of contract this summer. Down the line, Pools could well have to contend with the threat of administration and even footballing oblivion. While long-suffering Pools fans are no strangers to teetering on the brink, it does not make the current situation any less daunting.

Yet all hope is not lost. The latest update reiterated that "due processes are still ongoing with potential takeover parties" and that acceptable offers had been tabled. One of those is linked to Herd International and local businesswoman Shelley Hammond, who has long retained an interest in the purchase of the club and posted an Instagram with the caption "Hartlepool bound" earlier in the week. The establishment of The Club HUFC Ltd on Companies House was seen as a significant step; while things are taking longer than expected this time around, Singh completed the purchase of the club three weeks after he set up Clarence 18 in similar fashion.

The reality is that the future of the club, off the field at least, is out of Limbrick's hands. Given that Pools have nothing left to play for other than pride, it's inevitable that much of the noise surrounds the ongoing takeover ahead of the final two games of the season. The one thing the Australian can control is results and there's no doubt that his side's recent upturn in form has breathed new life into the place, with fans beginning to get behind the charismatic head coach. For now at least, Limbrick insists his full focus remains on finishing another turbulent campaign on a high note ahead of this weekend's trip to play-off chasing Rochdale, with Pools fans set to descend on Spotland in flat caps as part of the club's annual fancy dress tradition.

"I thought Monday's game was a great performance and we really deserved the win," he said.

"The scoreline suggested it was closer than it actually was and I was really pleased for the players.

"All we can do is our job and that's focus on the football and keep winning games. I really feel like in a tough situation - and we appreciate all the uncertainty at the moment, we understand where the fans are coming from, it's their club - the best thing for us to do is win football matches. We have to remain professional to give them moments like on Monday, which I think can help in some ways to provide some happiness. We've won the last three games in a row at home and the atmosphere has been brilliant; the celebrations at the end were fantastic, from the players, staff and the fans. You can see what happens if you can get it going here.

"For us, not much changes. I don't want to underplay the situation at all - I understand the severity of it. We want to focus on the football, try and win as many games as we can and finish the season strongly."

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