John Askey gives Hartlepool United points total admission following Stockport County draw

Askey was appointed in charge of the club back in February and was left with 13 games to save Hartlepool’s Football League status.

Hartlepool were just one point above the relegation zone having played four games more than their nearest rivals Crawley Town when Askey arrived with a daunting fixture list in front of them against a number of the leagues top teams.

Since then, Askey has taken 16 points from a possible 39 with three wins, seven draws and three defeats.

And Askey revealed following the club's final day draw with Stockport County how he felt that total of 16 points, to take their tally to 43 for the season, would have been enough to avoid slipping back into the National League.

Unfortunately for Askey and his side, however, Crawley were able to take 20 points from their remaining 17 games of the season – including a crucial three against Hartlepool.

"Since I’ve come in, we’ve only lost three games in 13 and I honestly thought that 43 points would be enough to keep us up. Sadly it hasn’t,” said Askey.

"Crawley had too many games and one or two other clubs’ performances have picked up. We’ve given it a good go at the end but it just wasn’t quite good enough.

"But today was about trying to do it for the loyal support that we’ve had. That was the main thing, to do it for the supporters.

"They showed that last week with the support they gave the players after the game. I was really pleased the players put on the performance that they did.”

Askey joined his players and staff in applauding the travelling Hartlepool fans at Edgeley Park following the full-time whistle, after Callum Cooke had cancelled out Callum Camps’ first half penalty, and the Pools boss has already laid down the challenge to those who will pull on the Hartlepool shirt in the National League next season to ensure it is a much better campaign for those supporters.

“It’s just sad,” said Askey.

"I stood there and I just felt for them because they’ve been absolutely brilliant since I’ve come in.

“It seems like we say it every week but it just proved what we’ve already said. We just have to try and give them something to cheer about next season because with a backing like that we’ve got a great chance of achieving something next season.”

And while Askey is keen to make amends to supporters, he is also keen to quickly bounce back from the relegation which will now blot his CV despite only taking charge of the final 13 games of the season.

“I’m just disappointed,” he said.

"You don’t want to see your name associated with a team who goes down and that’s what it’ll be now. So we’ll have to make sure we win something next season so it can be forgotten.”