Hartlepool United's dysfunctional season and how it went wrong for Keith Curle

For the first time there was a real outpouring of criticism aimed at the 59-year-old with Hartlepool falling to a 91st minute defeat.

In the aftermath, as Curle looked to make sense of what had unfolded in a game where his side failed to register a single shot on target, he continuously placed an added emphasis on what would have been his next game in charge against Walsall.

There was a fraught tone to his answers which suggested he knew the walls were closing in. It felt like a plea for one last opportunity.

It would fall on deaf ears.

Just under 24-hours later, Curle's sacking was confirmed.

Curle had suggested his players would be brought in for training following their damaging defeat to Newport.

But as he sent his players for extra running drills, there was still a lingering feeling submerged around the club’s Maiden Castle training base.

Curle knew he was in the firing line and, in the end, he knew what was coming.

Raj Singh suggested it was one of the toughest decisions he has had to make during his time as owner at the Suit Direct Stadium after Curle and assistant Colin West had repaired a number of broken fences throughout the structure of the football club.

But how did we get here again for Hartlepool? A third manager of the season and a seventh, should you include caretakers, since their return to the Football League in 2021.

The dysfunctional nature to Hartlepool’s season began way back in the summer with the unnecessary dismantling of a team who had secured their Football League status with relative ease.

There can be no denying Curle faced an uphill battle when he arrived as interim-manager following Paul Hartley’s dismal start to the season.

From the end of Graeme Lee’s tenure, through to the conclusion of Hartley’s, Curle was faced with a club who had not won in 18 league games, who found themselves in the bottom two all fuelled by significant tensions behind the scenes.

Curle not only had the job of a football manager on his hands, but also one of a peacemaker.

Within a few weeks those tensions appeared to have eased, with the mood around Maiden Castle uplifted as players and staff resembled a more cohesive unit.

That was boosted by Curle bringing an end to Hartlepool’s prolonged winless run - which made it to 20 after Curle drew each of his first two games in charge before securing an overdue win over Doncaster Rovers in early October.

Speaking later that month captain Nicky Featherstone expressed how he felt that result would have been the turning point in the season, but four straight defeats would follow.

Curle addressed supporters at a fan forum event, further adding to his approach in trying to unite the club. But results continued to be few and far between with the nature of results also now a growing concern.

A humiliating 6-0 defeat to Everton under-21s in the Papa Johns Trophy was as galling as it was worrying - Curle keeping his players locked in the changing room for over an hour before confessing it felt like being on the end of a Tyson Fury right-hand.

A diabolical opening 20 minutes at Barrow saw Curle's side 3-0 down as they would drop to the bottom of the League Two table - Curle’s record 10 games in standing at two wins, two draws and six losses.

But then came the moment which would, perhaps, change the complexion of things following, at the time, their performance of the season in the FA Cup second round against Harrogate Town ahead of the return of Dave Challinor.

Challinor’s shadow continues to overcast Hartlepool, with the demise of the club since his exit notable.

But what would transpire on his return would be the tip of the iceberg.

Curle had improved morale off the field but the struggles remained on-field, with injuries also plaguing his squad. Nevertheless, as Challinor and his Stockport County squad made their way across to the North East, chairman Singh removed Curle’s interim tag, replacing it with an 18-month permanent contract after stating Curle was ‘the best man-manager and overall club manager we have had since my time here.’

Challinor’s Stockport embarrassed Hartlepool 5-0 as the timing of the move backfired on Singh.

Curle was left to pick up the pieces and, again, make sense of what had transpired before allowing his players to go ahead with their Christmas party. It was a decision which could have ended Curle’s tenure should the result at Crawley Town had gone against them.

Instead, Curle’s reverse psychology appeared to work as Hartlepool staged a mini-revival over the Christmas period with seven points from 12 as he succeeded in the quest to ensure Hartlepool were still within touching-distance come January.

Curle was never shy in admitting the importance of the January window, but he would endure the same frustrations several managers before him have suffered in missing out on his preferred targets leading to frustrations growing once more.

But with 11 new players allowed to arrive at the Suit Direct Stadium, Curle certainly had more of his own imprint on the squad with David Ferguson the only player who started Hartlepool’s first post-transfer window fixture at Doncaster who started in his first game in charge against Gillingham in September.

The fixture with Doncaster was significant.

Off the back of their deadline day drama, internally, there was a sense of the preparation and execution of that week being the best of the season as Dan Dodds earned a late win.

If ever there was an opportunity for Curle’s side to find a springboard, that was it.

Since then, however, things have slipped once more with Curle relying on moments of individual brilliance from Dan Kemp to help salvage points against Sutton United and AFC Wimbledon with Hartlepool rarely threatening through open play – their attacking numbers in recent weeks have been cause for concern, something which culminated against Newport when failing to hit the target.

With limited green shoots of recovery on show, supporters felt as though there was a lack of a plan, whilst off the field things, naturally, had gone a little stale.

The stoppage time defeat to Newport ignited anger amongst supporters - club president Jeff Stelling even venting his frustrations on social media when advocating a change.

And with a daunting fixture list ahead, Singh was faced with a decision: listen to supporters and hope for a new-manager bounce, or stick with his man.

Despite Curle turning up for work post-Newport, Singh had made his choice as potential candidates were sounded out including, The Mail understands, Graham Alexander, before Singh would complete a move for John Askey.

Curle always maintained belief he could turn Hartlepool around.

But much like Lee and Hartley, Curle became the latest to fall short as Hartlepool’s dysfunction continued, only this time it may end with what would be a catastrophic exit from the Football League.