What Hartlepool United's rivals are saying amid National League relegation battle

Hartlepool United will hope to move out of the National League relegation zone with a home win against fellow strugglers Wealdstone this weekend.

With Pete Wild starting to make an impact on the squad he inherited when he was named as Pools head coach last month, there are high hopes the former FC Halifax Town and Barrow boss can oversee an improvement in fortunes over the coming weeks and months. But what of the managers around him in the table and what are they saying about the situation at their clubs as they look to fight a successful battle against the drop?

24th: Gateshead - Ben Clark (interim manager)

The Heed are in the final stages of a takeover by the US-based Flacks Group and there are high hopes over what could lie ahead despite that perilous situation. With just one win from their 15 league games, Ben Clark’s side are sitting 13 points from safety ahead of Saturday’s home game with Barrow - but that will be the first game of what they will hope will be a bright new era.

Speaking last month after initial reports of the interest from potential owners made headlines, Clark said: “It’ll be a big week for the football club. I’ll speak to the chairman on Monday, we’ll have a plan. Obviously, I’m sure his phone is going already, I’m sure he will have people interested in the manager’s job. The club will assess that. I’ll do this job as long as the chairman wants me to but I think the group is ready for a new voice so something will come in with new ideas. I’m sure the chairman will be looking at that.”

23rd: Scunthorpe United - Jacob Butterfield and Ross Barrows (interim managers)

The Iron parted company with Andy Butler last month and there have been reports suggesting they have been knocked back in their approach to Chester as they looked to secure the services of Phil Parkinson. In an interview given in his final game in charge as his side suffered a 4-1 defeat at Tamworth, Butler accused some of his players of not trying.

He told BBC Radio Humberside: “If I am being brutally honest, a lot of players didn’t even try, if I am being brutally honest and I can be now. I've protected them a lot. I think a little bit of harsh reality in terms of the players didn't look bothered, not all of them but a few of them. You're always going to be fighting an uphill battle if you haven't got players on the pitch who are giving 100%."

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22nd: Solihull Moors - Chris Millington

The Moors have won just four of their 16 league games so far this season - but did claim a victory in their latest National League fixture as they saw off Kidderminster Harriers at Damson Park. Speaking after that game, manager Millington praised the spirit his side have showed and urged them to show more of the same over the coming weeks.

He told the Solihull Observer: “This and the win against Wealdstone are the two best fighting performances [this season]. It shows when you’ve got that fight and that spirit and you go into a game with your sleeves rolled up, you put yourself in with a much better chance of doing that. We will look to build on this foundation of back-to-back wins and see if we can follow it up in the next game.”

20th: Tamworth - Andy Peaks

Tamworth are sitting just above the relegation zone following a home defeat against Woking on the final day of last month. Manager Andy Peaks discussed the strength and the relentless nature of the National League in the aftermath of that loss as he delivered a positive assessment of his squad.

He told the club website: “The squad’s looking a lot better. We’re adding to it with some loans that I’ve been really pleased with. Some of the boys coming back into it is going to make it really competitive and that’s what I want. We want the players back, and we’ve still got others missing, but obviously, you need a good squad. This league is brutal. To play Tuesday/Saturday at this level is hard, especially this tempo we have to play at, you need a big squad.

19th: Boston United - Paul Hurst

The Pilgrims have actually enjoyed a positive spell after wins against fellow strugglers Gateshead and Scunthorpe United lifted them out of the relegation zone. Hurst told the club’s official website: “We’ve played against two teams that are below us in the table and got victories. I said the Eastleigh performance, the Southend performance, I think we are moving in right direction. There’s still lots and lots of hard work to go but lets enjoy it.”

18th: Wealdstone - Gary Waddock

The Stones will provide Hartlepool’s next opponents as they visit Victoria Park on Saturday - and they do so on the back of a surprise FA Cup first round exit at the hands of Dover Athletic. Manager Gary Waddock has revealed how he will use the events of the weekend to prepare his side for their long trip to the North East.

Speaking after the defeat, he told the club website: “The better team won, they went on to win the game comfortably and I apologise to the supporters because we are out of the FA Cup now and that wasn’t the plan. We’ve got to get over this defeat first and we’ve got a very, very important game at Hartlepool next Saturday so we have to pick the bones out of this, analyse it, feed back to the players to get ready and prepare ourselves for Hartlepool next week.”

Your next Hartlepool United read: Pete Wild’s Hartlepool United to enter pivotal run of games in National League