CRAIG HIGNETT was yesterday sacked by Hartlepool United – with chairman Gary Coxall starting the search for his replacement.

Saturday’s disappointing 1-0 defeat at Crawley, watched by chairman Gary Coxall, proved his final game in charge. The news was exclusively revealed by The Northern Echo early yesterday afternoon.

Appointed last February, Hignett won only 15 of his 52 games in charge and leaves the club with Pools slumbering in 19th spot in League Two, with just 27 points from 26 games.

Dave Jones, the former Wolves, Sheffield Wednesday and Cardiff boss, is the early favourite for the job. Betvictor brought Jones in from 16/1 to 1/3 after a flurry of wagers, before they closed the book.

Coxall used Twitter last night to say the search for a new manager was to start immediately. He appointed Hignett 11 months ago, the first time he had to make a managerial change, after axing Ronnie Moore.

He tweeted: Tough day. Tough decision. I would like to personally thank Craig for hard work managing @Official_HUFC. Some things just don't work out...

Hignett lost his right-hand man Curtis Fleming last month when he took up a coaching role with QPR. Sam Collins – now in temporary command – was acting as his assistant, but Hignett was unhappy with a lack of progress in being given the chance to replace Fleming with a permanent deal.

He was keen to appoint Graham Kavanagh, the former Carlisle boss and Sunderland midfielder.

Coxall said in a club statement: "I would like to place on record my thanks to Craig for all of his efforts.

"He has given everything for the club during his time in charge, and he leaves with our very best wishes for the future.

"The search for a new manager will begin immediately, and it won’t be a long, drawn-out process – we want to get the right man appointed as quickly as possible."

Pools are at home to Stevenage on Saturday.