Exclusive:Former Hartlepool United star assesses transfer needs as Lee Clark impact predicted
Former Newcastle United and Sunderland star Lee Clark was named as new head coach of Hartlepool United last month.
Former Hartlepool United midfielder Don Hutchison believes new head coach Lee Clark is ‘a good fit’ for his old club as he settles into life at Victoria Park.
Just under a month has passed since Clark was appointed as successor to former Pools boss Nicky Featherstone and he has completed the first new addition to the squad he inherited when experienced striker Jordan Hugill penned a permanent deal over 11 years after a loan spell during Ronnie Moore’s managerial reign.
Clark and recently appointed head of recruitment Chris Beech are working hard to add further new faces to the Pools ranks there have been reports suggesting former Morecambe winger Jack Nolan and Spennymoor Town attacking midfielder Corey McKeown are both on a list of potential targets.
The Pools squad will have a new look by the time the new National League season gets underway in August and Hutchison has insisted Clark will be able to attract players to the club that can put his side in contention for promotion back into League Two after a three-year absence.
The former Pools midfielder told Spreadex Sports: “It’s always difficult trying to get promotion from the National League but Lee Clark is a great lad. Our relationship goes all the way back to when he was at Newcastle in the late-1980s, early-1990s and I was at Hartlepool; we used to go to college together. I got to know Lee really well during that time on a personal basis, and then we would come up against each other during our playing careers.
“He’s a passionate guy and I think he’s going to do really well at Hartlepool. It looks a good fit, he can attract players to the club and comes from good stock, in terms of the managers he will have learned from during his playing career – like Kevin Keegan and Ossie Ardiles. Hopefully he can get Hartlepool playing some good football and get them back into the Football League.”