CRAIG HARRISON is out to being a smile back to Hartlepool United.

Following the misery of relegation at the end of the season amid the morose reign of former boss Dave Jones which led to the drop, Pools have turned to Harrison to revive the club.

Pools are in the National League next season and Harrison, a former Middlesbrough defender, moves from TNS in the League of Wales.

He enjoyed constant success in over five years at the club, leading them to the qualifying stages of the Champions League, and hopes to transfer his winning mentality into a club in desperate need of it.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity, I’ve been looking to cross into the English system for a couple of years now and this is a great chance,’’ he said when unveiled at The Northern Gas and Power Stadium on Saturday morning.

“After meeting the club 48 hours ago and speaking to them, everything seemed to fit into place for me. I’m a North-East lad, I know the area and what it means.

“The stadium, the training ground, the sports science part of it – everything fits into what I want to do at a football club. Yes we need to win games, but the style of football my teams play will cross to this club nicely and hopefully carry on winning games.

“It was a difficult decision to leave, I’ve had some fantastic times there and some great experiences in life and in football. Not many managers can say they have managed 16/17 games in the Champions League and won games in it too.

“Sometimes you have to pinch yourself and wonder if it’s real, but it did happen and I’m looking for a new opportunity now.

“On Friday I was stuck in a traffic jam for hours, everyone around us was sat angry with red faces and I was sat there smiling and happy. People must have wondered what was going on.’’

Gateshead-born Harrison already has spoken to a number of possible transfer targets and added: “Now I’m here, I’m as enthusiastic as can be. I will be enthusiastic from beginning to end and my work ethic is so strong – if it takes 24 hours a day to get it right, I will do it. And I expect the same standards from everyone else.

“This is a clean slate. Speaking to club officials that is the way it has to be. I’m a new manager, a young manager who wants to build this club and take it forward.

“It’s been a really disappointing time here, but I’d like to think I can play a huge role in getting it back into the Football League and putting a smile on fans’ faces – that is as important as anything.’’

He added: “People spent their hard-earned money to come and watch football. It can make or break someone’s week. We will try and give them everything we have to entertain them along the way.

“First and foremost I expect a lot of people. Anyone here is representing Hartlepool United Football Club – that is the most important place in the world at that time.

“Walking into training, walking onto the pitch to train, to play, to represent the club in the media, it’s important to respect it.

“It’s amazing how much you can achieve with those ideals and principles. All the rest follows around it.’’

Pools have endured a high turnover of managers in recent years. Harrison spent five years in charge at TNS and hopes to be at his new club for a long time too.

He said: “The season ahead is important. The aim is promotion, ideal scenario. But speaking to everyone it’s the bigger picture too. I think there’s been ten managers in 11, 12 years. The club has hit an all-time low in dropping out of the Football League.

“This is a chance to build a strong foundation to move forward and get back – this season, ideally, or next.

“We are all here to win games, supporters come to watch us win. If it happens first off, then brilliant, but if we don’t then as long as we are improving and getting closer then when we do get there we are stronger for it.’’