Hartlepool United set ambitious National League target by manager Craig Hignett

Craig Hignett has set Hartlepool United an ambitious National League target for next season.
Hartlepool United boss Craig Hignett (Shutterpress).Hartlepool United boss Craig Hignett (Shutterpress).
Hartlepool United boss Craig Hignett (Shutterpress).

While the noises before the end of the last campaign were on improvement and top 10 finishes, the mood music has changed somewhat behind the scenes.

And Hignett has reiterated that with his latest claim that promotion has to be in a club like Hartlepool’s sights.

“The ambition has to be to get promoted,” said the manager.

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“That is what I want, it’s what everyone at the club wants and it’s what I want the players to be thinking about from the moment we get back in to training.

“We’ll be doing everything we can to achieve but this league is quite even across the board, while there are some teams with a lot of money so it can be very difficult.

“If you have a few bits of quality and a certain way of doing things then you can get out of the division without massive money - sometimes the teams with more cash don’t spend it wisely.

“If everyone stays fit in the squad that we will have then I would be disappointed if we aren’t in and around it this season.”

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Even Hignett’s critics would find it hard to argue against the fact the manager ‘gets’ what Hartlepool United is, and understands what it can be.

“This is a club that I have a lot of feeling for,” he said.

“I have been here as a player, an assistant manager and now manager twice so I love the place and the people involved, from the office staff all the way through.

“It’s a club I feel deserves better because it’s been a long road and the fans have suffered quite a lot over the last few years.

“I understand what fans want and I understand this place so I am going to do everything I can to provide a good and exciting season. I want to give people something to look forward to on a Saturday again.

"Obviously, getting back to the EFL is the main goal and if that can happen this season then brilliant but, if not, then we’ll keep on improving year on year to achieve our ambitions."