Keith Curle admits change 'needs to happen' at Hartlepool United after harrowing Stockport County defeat

Curle’s side were abject throughout as a returning Dave Challinor watched his team pick apart Hartlepool without having to stray too far out of first gear as Pools remain bottom of the Football League.

Kyle Wootton scored twice in four minutes to give Stockport a healthy lead before they would add three more in the second half through Paddy Madden, Callum Camps and Will Collar to condemn Hartlepool supporters to further misery.

For all the talk heading into the game was about the return of Challinor to the Suit Direct Stadium, the aftermath is one of familiarity as Curle lamented his side’s performance in defeat before admitting changes are needed as we move towards the January transfer window.

And they are changes Curle believes will happen having signed an 18-month deal with the club to change his interim status into a permanent one.

“It’s not good enough,” Curle said of the performance.

“But the timing of it, with me committing myself to the football club and the football club committing themselves to me, I’ve signed a contract with full understanding of what needs to be done at the football club and the football club understand what needs to happen as well. So from that point we’re in a good place because changes need to happen at the football club.

“An easy analogy would be; Stockport are eight or nine places above us and on today’s performance not one of our players would get in their team.

“I know what I've got available to myself for the next five games until the window opens and I'll get the best out of what I've got.”

He added: “I signed a contract with good intent and the honest intent of what job is needed to be done here and I know I’ve got the backing, and I’ve got the financial resources, to be able to compete to bring in players that, in my opinion, will improve us.”