OVER the years, Hartlepool United have appointed too many managers, each with their different backgrounds and principles. From the rookie boss to the experienced hand, all have one thing in common: the sack.

Danny Wilson lasted 133 games before being given the boot in December 2008. Since then, and Pools have now had ten permanent managers following him, none have made it into three figures.

There’s been short-term lifts and mini revivals, but no-one has had any sort of long-term influence at Victoria Park.

They all arrive with the best intentions, with grand statements and hopes. They all leave with the club staining their CVs.

Remember Mike Newell taking over from Chris Turner back in 2002? 'This bus drives itself' as talisman Gordon Watson said back in the day.

Since then the bus has crashed, the wheels have fallen off and now it’s a burned-out, rusting shell covered in weeds, not even good for scrap.

Craig Harrison arrived on the back of the biggest ignominy the club has suffered of all; relegation from the Football League following the utterly disastrous tenure of Dave Jones.

Every club has a manager held up as an unmitigated disaster: Sunderland, Lawrie McMenemy; Darlington, Steve Staunton; Middlesbrough, Gordon Strachan; Newcastle, Steve McClaren.

Pools, with the club in utter turmoil, now have two: Jones and Harrison, successive appointments.

Harrison was unable to turn around the mess left by Jones and former chairman Gary Coxall, especially working against the financial background Pools have endured in recent weeks and months.

He arrived with a burgeoning reputation, coming to Pools following sustained success at TNS. The critics said it was too easy managing the only full-time club in the League of Wales.

Pools were willing and able, at a time when owner John Blackledge was funding the club, to back their manager and aim for an immediate return to the Football League

But his signings have been largely disappointing. Add them to a handful of players still lingering from relegation and the season has been a disaster.

Head of recruitment Paul Watson (retitled the head of performance before he departs) says signings were Harrison’s picks. Watson appointed both Jones and Harrison, and Pools are now paying off two failed managers.

Harrison wanted to implement a passing game, high-tempo pressing. In this division it doesn’t work and you need stronger players - both mentally and physically – than what he had under his wing.

Harrison is a positive individual, someone who appreciated and fully respected the position to which he was appointed. He came with a smile and a character different to that of the manager he replaced.

But ultimately it hasn’t worked.

The start of the season, when Pools were reshaped and ready to make a right go at promotion, stalled. It was six games before they won a game.

Hopes of early season momentum and forgetting last season were dashed.

When they did get off and running, it became only one defeat in 13.

Pools were picking up points, albeit without being overly-convincing in the main. A few last-minute winners and victories against poor teams made things seem better than they were.

But as Pools fell into financial doom, it all started to unravel.

Performances tailed off and results collapsed.

Players and staff didn’t know if they would be paid, footballers had their heads turned by offers from other clubs.

No manager would be able to keep the club on track against such a backdrop and it affected Harrison.

Journalists could see his spark had gone in recent weeks, supporters turned their ire on the manager.

He leaves as another statistic, another boss chewed up and spat out by the basket case known as Hartlepool United Football Club.