Hartlepool United understood to be considering three contenders for vacant manager's job

Pools have been on the hunt for a new boss since the surprising decision to sack manager Simon Grayson earlier this month following a run of just one win in 11 matches. Having been appointed in June, Pools fans had harboured high hopes for Grayson's tenure and the new boss made a strong start, drawing praise for what felt like a strong summer of recruitment despite difficult circumstances and winning three and drawing one of his first four National League games in charge. However, much like many of his predecessors, Grayson soon started to find things difficult as a lack of goals - Pools lost the prolific Mani Dieseruvwe, who scored 43 times in 89 games at Victoria Park, as well as Joe Grey, Reyes Cleary and Anthony Mancini over the summer - started to become a big issue. While Pools, for the most part at least, remained difficult to break down, competitive and combative, a lack of cutting edge in the final third soon saw them slide out of the play-off places and down to 12th. A 1-1 draw with Northern Premier League Premier Division side Gainsborough Trinity in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round, with Pools needing a late goal to salvage a replay, proved the final straw for controversial chairman and owner Raj Singh, not renowned for his patience when it comes to managers, who sacked Grayson after just four months at the helm.

Of the 13 permanent appointments made by Singh since he took over the club in 2018, only promotion-winning boss Dave Challinor, who was in charge between 2019 and 2021 and led Pools back to the Football League, has survived more than a year in the role. Indeed, none of the last five permanent bosses has lasted more than 17 games in the Pools hotseat, albeit veteran Lennie Lawrence stepped down of his own accord. Whoever takes charge next looks set to inherit a challenging situation, with frustration among fans threatening to boil over and talk of boycotts and protests against the club's divisive ownership rife throughout social media. Even so, Pools do look to have a competitive squad while they are set to be bolstered by the imminent returns of striker Alex Reid, influential defender Maxim Kouogun as well as skipper Tom Parkes. With Pools still only six points outside the play-off places ahead of what looks to be, on paper at least, a favourable run of fixtures, there is a feeling that this season remains very much salvageable.

Pools are understood to have held talks with Featherstone, Hartley and Dickman regarding the vacant manager's job. The club are believed to have spoken to Featherstone, who has been in interim charge since Grayson's departure, last week. The 37-year-old's first game at the helm was a humbling 3-1 defeat at home to Gainsborough in their FA Cup replay, one of the worst results in the club's history, with Featherstone admitting he was "absolutely gutted" and suggesting the Pools squad were a "fragile group". However, there were signs of improvement during Saturday's 3-3 draw with National League strugglers Sutton, with Pools only denied all three points by Edon Pruti's 95th minute equaliser against his old side.

One thing's for sure, Featherstone, who has been at Victoria Park for more than a decade and is the club's third highest appearance maker of all time, knows Pools inside out. The veteran, who remains a part of the playing squad but has only featured once so far this term, has been criticised, scapegoated, written-off, relegated and even released during a tumultuous 11 years in the North East but is widely regarded as one of the club's staunchest servants and was an integral part of the side that won promotion back to the Football League under Dave Challinor in the 2020/21 season, scoring four goals in 41 games and establishing a formidable partnership in the engine room with Gavin Holohan and Mark Shelton. Having previously distanced himself from the manager's job, Featherstone, whose coaching badges were paid for by Singh, appears to have warmed to the task since Grayson's sacking and looks to be among the leading contenders, although a lot could well depend on how Pools fare in back-to-back home games against strugglers Solihull Moors and Morecambe over the coming weeks.

Former Pools skipper Hartley is also understood to have held talks with the club last week. Hartley, who was born in the town and still lives in the area, made 188 appearances for Pools across two separate spells and became the club's youngest ever captain when he was handed the armband by the legendary Neale Cooper aged just 23. Since hanging up his boots, Hartley has worked in various coaching roles with the likes of Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Indian Super League side Inter Kashi, while he has spent the last 12 months as a first team coach at Scottish Premiership outfit St Mirren. Although he might not quite be able to rival Featherstone's experience, the former defender has a good reputation among Pools fans and is understood to be extremely keen on making the step up into management.

Pools are also believed to be considering first team coach Elliot Dickman, who only joined the club earlier this month following the sudden and unexpected departure of assistant manager Neil McDonald. The 47-year-old has worked as the manager of both Newcastle and Sunderland's under-23 sides and spent time at the helm of National League North team South Shields, leaving in May after the Mariners finished an underwhelming 17th last term. Despite only having joined Pools a matter of weeks ago, Dickman is held in high regard as a coach and has been working closely with Featherstone since Grayson's departure.

Pools, who are 10th in the National League, host 17th placed Solihull Moors, who themselves have recently made a change in the dugout following the decision to replace Matty Taylor with former Halifax boss Chris Millington, on Saturday.

Your next Hartlepool United read: Who is leading the running to become the next permanent Pools boss?