Hartlepool United v Yeovil: Craig Hignett wants fans to scare Glovers to death

Hignett watched Tuesday night’s game when Stevenage went away with all three points and he wants Victoria Park to be transformed into a fortress, starting with tomorrow’s critical 22nd v 21st showdown (kick-off 3pm).

“I’ve played here in some good times when Danny Wilson was manager and we won promotion [in 2007],” said the new boss.

“We had some good times here with Coops when we were playing well and while there’s only 5,000 here it sounds like 25,000.

“When the fans get behind us, it can make it intimidating for other teams to come here – I’d love our fans to be like that again and have opposition teams to be scared to play here.

“As a young lad I came here with Crewe and our people then used to say it was a horrible place to come, how everyone’s at you.

“I would love to get that back and I’d like to say to our supporters now to get behind the lads, make it a tough place to come.

“It does make a difference

“Tomorrow is a big one given where we both are in the table.

“I would love to scare them to death. I know how Yeovil will play, I know what they will do.

“We’ve worked on how we will play at training, I just don’t know who will play!”

Hignett became the club’s 35th post-war manager this week when he succeeded Ronnie Moore.

The 46-year-old has, of course, got happy memories of Pools – not just the 2007 promotion run, but his spell as right-hand-man to Colin Cooper in 2013-14.

Pools were just six points off the play-off places when he quit to take up the same job at Middlesbrough as Aitor Karanka’s assistant.

“I would like to thank the supporters for their best wishes and support they have given me,” he said.

“It would have been easy for them not to care after I left last time.

“I would say to them now ‘come to the Vic, support us’ and hopefully we will entertain as best we can.

“This place, when full and rocking is a brilliant place to be.

“I just want to repay their faith shown in me with good performances and get us some points and away from where we are.”

Hignett spoke with typical honesty and while he had sympathy for Moore after his departure, the former Boro crowd favourite said it was not a shock.

“I wouldn’t be sat here now if the other night was good,” he said.

“Football is a results business and if you are not getting results, you are in danger of losing your job.

“Unfortunately, that’s what happened.

“I’m just looking forward to the future now.

“I know I have the players in the club to do all right and given a bit of time with them I can get them moving up the table.”