Pools head coach addresses threat of administration as takeover saga rumbles on
Hartlepool United head coach Anthony Limbrick has addressed the potential threat of administration.
While the Australian might have been hoping to focus on the football following Easter Monday's impressive win over rivals Gateshead when he met the press in the week, the future of the club once again dominated discussions after another dramatic few days of takeover developments.
The ongoing takeover saga took another unexpected twist on Wednesday when the interim board published their latest update, suggesting it was "highly unlikely" that the purchase of the club would be completed before the end of the season on May 5, when current owner Raj Singh has vowed to pull his funding. Although the board maintained that "due processes are still ongoing with potential takeover parties" and that acceptable offers had been tabled, fans were understandably concerned by the latest news.
All hope is not lost and it is understood that negotiations are continuing with parties interested in the acquisition of the club, one of whom is believed to be Herd International and local businesswoman Shelley Hammond. Hammond, who has long retained an interest in the purchase of Pools, was linked to the recent establishment of The Club HUFC Ltd on Companies House; when Singh took over Pools in 2018, he set up Clarence 18 in similar fashion just three weeks before he completed a deal. For all Hammond might have aroused considerable excitement following an Instagram post earlier in the week with the caption "Hartlepool bound", it seems clear that the current takeover negotiations, whatever form they might take, are taking longer than might have been hoped.
While supporters can still afford to feel cautiously optimistic about the future of their club, more sceptical fans might have found it hard to avoid dwelling on the worst case scenarios after reading the latest update on Wednesday. The harsh reality is that if Pools cannot complete a deal and Singh holds true to his vow to pull his funding at the end of the season, then the club stand to lose most if not all of their prize assets this summer, with the likes of Mani Dieseruvwe, Joe Grey, Nathan Sheron, Gary Madine and David Ferguson among those out of contract. Worse still, Pools could have to contend with administration and even the threat of potential liquidation down the line. At this stage, that looks unlikely and it's understood that parties remain hopeful about the prospect of completing a deal in the coming weeks, but the longer the latest saga drags on, the larger the threat of footballing oblivion seems to loom. While long-suffering Pools fans are no strangers to teetering on the brink, the current situation is a daunting and difficult one.
So for all Limbrick might be doubling down on his determination to focus on the final two games of the season - a totally understandable outlook, given there is little he can do to influence proceedings off the pitch - the fact is that this weekend's trip to Rochdale and the visit of Forest Green Rovers on the final day of the season pale into insignificance compared to what goes on around the negotiating table. While administration is currently a dim albeit distinct possibility, the Pools head coach admits he's directing his energies to ensuring his side have a strong end to the season on the pitch.
"It's a difficult question to answer - but I understand why you're asking it," he said.
"For us, we're focused on what we're doing. If I'm honest, we're trying to maintain that as much as we can. We're focusing on the football and not worrying about off-field issues as best as we can. It's a tough one."