Hartlepool United's National League rivals suffer setback as ex-Newcastle United defender answers League Two call

Hartlepool’s National League rivals have been rocked by the departure of former Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Williamson who has brought an end to his four year spell in charge on Tyneside by taking over at Stadium MK.

The League Two club were without a manager after sacking Graham Alexander recently following a disappointing start to the season.

Williamson was immediately installed as the leading candidate to replace Alexander and so it has proved with the 39-year-old taking the step up to manage in the Football League with assistant head coach Ian Watson and first-team coach Chris Bell also departing the Gateshead International Stadium.

“I’m excited and I can’t wait to get started,” Williamson said in his first interview with MK Dons.

“It’s been a quick turnaround and it was a tough decision to leave Gateshead but when a club like this comes in, it’s a no-brainer.

“Everything the club epitomises was really attractive to me and my team. For us, it was about finding somewhere that was aligned with the way we see the game and would back us in doing that – this is the right club for us to do that.”

In his time since 2019, Williamson has been able to guide the Heed back the top tier of non-league football following their demotion and consolidate last season as well as enjoy a number of successful cup runs including reaching the second round of the FA Cup and reaching a Wembley final in the FA Trophy last season.

Williamson leaves Gateshead with the club sixth in the National League table – three points ahead of John Askey’s Pools.

Club chairman Neil Pinkerton said: “Mike has been a fantastic servant to Gateshead football club and agreed to rejoin the club, alongside Ian and Chris, at a time when we didn’t have a single contracted player following our demotion in 2019.

“The success they have brought to our club is testament to them as individuals and as a collective team.

“An approach from MK Dons – a club in the EFL that was only recently in the Championship – proved too much to turn down and we wish them every success, of which we are sure they will be.”

Gateshead have confirmed that former Newcastle United goalkeeper Rob Elliot will take charge of first team duties on an interim basis in the wake of Williamson’s exit with Louis Storey and former Hartlepool defender Carl Magnay assisting.

Magnay made 120 appearances for Pools across a four year period before moving to Spennymoor Town and then Gateshead.

“It’s important for the players to know that things aren’t going to change from what we’ve been doing,” said Elliot.

“There’s so many positives at the club right now and that’s what we’re going to focus on.

“We win and lose games our way and that will always be the case, especially as long as myself, Mags and Louis are in charge.”