PHIL BROWN was yesterday sacked as Preston North End boss, raising the intriguing prospect of a Hartlepool United return.

After a miserable run of one win in their last 11 League One games – ironically at Victoria Park last month – Brown was yesterday dumped by new chairman Peter Ridsdale.

Ex-Sunderland boss Peter Reid, who worked with Ridsdale at both Leeds and Plymouth is in the frame at Deepdale.

Brown started his career at Pools in the early 1980s and made 249 appearances.

On leaving Deepdale, Brown said: "Whilst I acknowledge that recent results have been disappointing, I was particularly pleased with how we started this season when we were second in the league after a run of seven consecutive league wins, especially following a number of key departures from the playing staff over the summer and a large number of injuries to significant players in the limited squad.

“We are just five points off the play-offs and firmly believed that the club would be in contention for promotion come the end of the season.’’

And another Pools possible was yesterday confirmed to be leaving his current post, Shamrock Rovers’ manager Michael O’Neill.

He will take charge of tonight’s Europa League game with Spurs and he is also among the runners for the vacant Northern Ireland job, with an interview reported to be taking place this week.

Pools chairman Ken Hodcroft is in no rush to make an appointment and will go through the normal company recruitment process.

Whoever is appointed Victoria Park boss, and Micky Barron will again be in charge for Saturday’s home game with Colchester, will also be looking for a new goalkeeping coach after Gary Walsh yesterday left for Hull City.

He links up again with his former Middlesbrough team-mate NickyBarmby and the club’s head of football operations Adam Pearson who was at Derby County during Walsh’s time at Pride Park.

Walsh’s work with Pools’ goalkeepers was often praised by former boss Mick Wadsworth and it was Walsh who recommended Pools signed Jake Keane on loan from Blackburn last season to cover for Scott Flinders.

Both Barron and skipper Sam Collins wished Walsh well on Twitter last night. He will replace Seamus O’Donagh who left the KC Stadium for Sunderland to team up with Martin O’Neill

Pools have lost their last seven games at Victoria Park – scoring only once in the process – and take on Colchester on Saturday in desperate need to stop the rot.

Sam Collins is likely to be partnered in central defence by Stephen Wright with Peter Hartley suspended for a game.

And the captain admitted: “We need to do it for ourselves, no matter who takes the game.

“We need a performance and if we get that I’m sure the result will come.

“When we were nine games unbeaten it’s sometimes down to a little bit of luck – and you need that.

“If you look at the majority of games in this league it’s normally the team which scores first which goes on to win.

“It’s so important at this level and we haven’t really done that at home.

“If we can do that it gives you confidence and something to defend.

“We’re going to try everything this week to be ready and get that win we need on Saturday.’’

Wright missed last weekend’s loss at Brentford with an Achilles problem, but is hopes to be fit this weekend after treatment.

And Collins is sure the spirit in the camp is solid and offers the next manager a positive start to build on.

“Whoever is in charge is fortunate because they’ve got a brilliant bunch of lads who’d work hard for anyone,’’ he said. “We’re all honest and whatever we’re told to do we’ll do it.

“The last seven games at home we’ve been disappointed with but it’s time now to kick on and get some results going at home again, because if we play like that we will win games.

“Sometimes it’s different at home because teams set up to sit back off you.

“The emphasis is on us to create a bit more and at times we haven’t done that very well.

“If we can take into next week what we’ve done at Brentford then I’m sure this win that we need is just around the corner.’’