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But what price him building a shock National League play-off push off the back of two straight wins?

A maiden victory against York City and an unexpected success on the road against Bromley have changed the mood at the Suit Direct stadium.

And now, with a seemingly winnable away game against Woking looming on Saturday, fans are finally beginning to look up the National League rather than down.

Hartlepool United have won two games out of two since Kevin Phillips was appointed head coach.

But, from 11th place in the table and seven points shy of team in seventh spot, what chance does recent National League history give Super Kev of sneaking Pools into a play-off position?

The answer, according to recent, is a chance. But only an outside chance.

The bad news is that before Phillips’ arrival, Hartlepool had picked up 34 points from 29 league games this season – or 1.17 PPG (points per game).

Why is that bad news? The lowest PPG of any teams who have secured the top-seven finish needed for the National League play-offs in the last six seasons has been 1.54 (Bromley

finishing seventh last season with 71 points, emulating Barnet in 2019-20).

The average PPG required to get into the play-offs in those last six seasons has been 1.59, which equates to 73 points across a 46-game campaign.

Based on that average, Phillips may need to pick up 33 points from the 14 remaining league matches this season – or a PPG of 2.36 – if Pools’ season is not to end on April 20 away at

Dorking Wanderers.

Phillips successfully managed to close out a promotion season at South Shields in 2022-23, winning the Northern Premier League.

But steering Pools into the top seven would be comfortably the best achievement yet in a coaching career which has previously seen him work at Leicester, Derby and Stoke.

Hartlepool will need to be wary of Woking in front of the live TNT cameras on Saturday, with the Cards also getting a new manager bounce since appointing Michael Doyle and having won 2-0 at Pools in the return fixture in September.

But if you fancy Pools to continue their march towards the play offs then why not check out what the bookies have to say?

Hartlepool are as much as 16-1 with bet365 and Sky Bet to make the top seven.

So what are the chances of Hartlepool United gatecrashing the National League play offs?

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