THERE’S two big photos on display in Gary Coxall’s London lair. It’s 258 miles from his base in Ilford to Hartlepool United, but the chairman has a constant source of Victoria Park inspiration on hand.

There’s times when the haul up the M11 and A1 to his adopted home seems a drag; equally there’s times when it flies by.

Coxall, who this week chalked up a solid year in charge of Pools, has bought into the town and the ethos of the town’s football club.

“I love a challenge, that’s what I’m about,’’ he admitted. “On my office wall I have two big pictures – one of the squad and one of Billy Paynter scoring the first goal last season with all the players behind him.

“There’s times when I’ve felt I can’t be bothered, when it’s hard. But I don’t want to let those lads on the photos down, or the supporters.

“I’ve got to work hard as chairman and this is no ego trip for me. You’ve got to put your heart and soul into it. No going about it half-hearted.’’

Coxall fronts up JPNG, the recruitment company who bought the club last June. He was around the club, as the whole takeover process was on-going, when Ronnie Moore engineered the Great Escape in March and April last year.

There’s something unique about Hartlepool and the community spirit that engulfs the town.

He’s felt the camaraderie and witnessed the unity survival brought, even if last season didn’t quite carry on in the same vein.

“I saw the Great Escape and all that came with it,’’ he recalled. “But I was hoping that we could have carried it on a bit more last season. I would have hoped we could kick on, but it’s all about fine margins.

“Sometimes you don’t get the rub of the green.

“When we took over, I said I felt the club was under-performing and now we are turning it around on and off the pitch. I don’t see any difference between us and Bournemouth – look where they were a few years ago.

“I’ve said before the difference last season between us and Northampton was they nearly went bust and it brought them together. It’s about having some self-belief, arrogance.’’

The Cobblers ran away with the League Two title last season and he added: “Northampton won a couple of games on the spin and then it was ten in a row. It’s about belief and being on a run.

“We did it in March. If the season was another six / seven games then could we have pushed on? I look back and think if we made the change a bit earlier… but then it was right to give Ronnie the time [to turn it around], he earned that, deserved it.’’

The doors of communication at Victoria Park have been opened in the last year. Under the previous regime, it was, at times, cloak and dagger. Secrecy reigned.

It worked for IOR and Ken Hodcroft during the successful years in the early 2000s, but not so when the club stagnated.

IOR were selling up in December 2014, only for the chairman to ensure the consortium planning to buy the club weren’t able to go through with the deal as things unraveled behind the scenes.

Hodcroft remained in charge, kept his hand on the steering wheel, and gave the manager enough support to ensure he handed over a Football League business over to Coxall.

Naturally, after the trauma of failed consortium TMH, the question was raised: Why buy into Hartlepool United?

Coxall isn’t trying to be the patron saint of Hartlepool. He’s a long way to go before he achieves the recognition and adoration Middlesbrough chief Steve Gibson receives.

Twelve months in, however, and it’s clear the new broom is sweeping and he’s proved a popular and amiable character. Few chairman interact with fans on social media like Coxall.

He recalled: “When we took over there were some sceptics out there. If I was a die-hard Hartlepool fan and a company from down south was taking over my club I would wonder why.

“I could sit in front of a reporter, or put something on the website and say we were going to do this or that. I knew there would be a time when the tide would turn and people would see what we are about.

“In time, actions prove it. I think using Twitter is important and it will carry on.

“If you go to a supermarket you get loyalty points to be enticed back, with football people don’t change their brand, but it’s vitally important to give them something back.

“It makes them happier to be there. That’s a change we have to implement, to interact with fans because it wasn’t happening before.

“We’ve started it, made a start, the hard work is keeping it going.

“Ken and IOR had their way to doing things. The way we both operate are different. IOR are in the oil industry – very corporate, very legal – we are in recruitment, part of which is IT, and that’s a very forward-thinking business.

“So why not speak to the fans, why not be out there and be approachable?’’

And Coxall hopes to offer some positive news to supporters – even if it’s taking a little longer than he anticipated.

Victoria Park is council-owned, but the progress over the sale is being made after a stand-off between club and council.

He said: “We will buy the ground, but it’s a case of going through process. When we bought the club we felt things on that side were a lot more advanced than they actually are.

“For me, football gets in the way of the whole operation.

“It’s all about Saturday afternoon for supporters, but there’s a hell of a lot goes on throughout the week without involving a game that we have to look at.’’

IT’S been, says Coxall, an enjoyable 12 months. Busy, frantic, different in its own way.

For all the exhilaration, there’s one downside. Chairmen have to make big calls on occasions – dumping Moore was Coxall’s.

On taking over, one of the priorities was to give Moore a three-year deal, a reward for keeping Pools up.

Little over six months into his contract and it was time for a change: “That was the hardest thing I’ve had to do and I said at the time he’s a mate. He still is, he’s a friend of the club.

“Could he come back in some capacity? Who knows… you never know.’’

From the announcement that Moore was gone, to the appointment of Craig Hignett, little over five hours had passed.

For a company specialising in recruitment, it was a swift process. The planning had been done in advance.

“There was a bit of conception that he was lined up, but he wasn’t,’’ insisted Coxall. “We always need a contingency plan for everything.

“On the playing side we asked what we would do if things didn’t improve and we drew up a list of what we wanted in our next manager.

“Who knows who is available? If we found out Jurgen Klopp was available for 12 grand a year then we get him.

“I think the club has faltered in the past - each manager comes in with a blank sheet of paper and does it their way.

“We met Craig, he ticked every box we had. So what was the point in going to see someone else?’’

Coxall’s golf has faltered in the last year. A 14-handicapper, he can count on one hand the number of rounds he’s played.

There’s still, however, room for a golf analogy when it comes to running a football club.

He mused: “If you play golf, you can go to one coach and he says change your grip, change the tempo of your swing. See another coach and he tells you something completely different.

“Then you get confused and get lost in what you want to do.

“We had to show belief in our plans and our ideas.

“Every time a manager comes in there’s a rebuild. Two managers a season means two rebuilds.

“Craig came in and didn’t want to sign a stack of players. The one thing I love about him is that he said he can coach these players and make them better. From a club point of view, not even talking financial here, we see the benefits.’’

Pools have made a number of key signings in the close season before the players return to work on Wednesday.

Manager and chairman are, naturally, delighted with their recruitment process.

“Look at the players coming in, they have been impressed by Craig’s outlook,’’ reflected Coxall. “He’s said he can make them better players, make them into what they want to be.

“They players we are getting in are buying into what we are doing, not coming here because it’s their only option, but because they want to.

“We have signed every one of our top targets. There’s two things in pre-season to do – bringing in sponsorship and money to the club and then bring players in.

“Try and do them both at the same time and you are not going to put your full energy into it all. Get the players in early, the manager has them for a full pre-season and then the commercial side becomes the focus.’’

He added: “Me and Craig have a good relationship. He knows the club, he’s from the area and he had a clear idea of what he wanted to do.

“Players buy into his enthusiasm. In January we couldn’t sign a player for love nor money. We put bids in, had them accepted and they didn’t want to come.

“For me, it was an eye opener. You want people who want to be here – that’s the difference now, we are getting them for the right reasons.

“People won’t come to Hartlepool for the money, but they will come to improve as footballers.’’