FOLLOWING the sacking of Dave Jones towards the end of last season’s ill-fated campaign, Hartlepool United have appointed Craig Harrison as their new manager, writes JOE COOPER.

Plying his trade in the Welsh Premier League since December 2011, Harrison has been out of the picture in England for a while - so just who is Pools’ new man?

He may already be familiar to some fans in the North-East, having played for Middlesbrough in the late 90s. He made 24 appearances for Middlesbrough, alongside the likes of Gazza, Emerson and Fabrizio Ravanelli.

Upon moving to Crystal Palace in 2000, he suffered a horrific leg-break which ended his career in 2002. A troubled period followed, but Harrison found his way back into the game as an assistant manager in the Welsh Premier League.

Since then, he has never looked back. Taking over as boss of The New Saints in December 2011, Harrison has won six consecutive league titles, as well as transforming the club into a respected opposition in the early stages of the Champions League qualifying rounds.

TNS even gained global acclaim last year after they broke the record for most consecutive wins in a season with 27. They eventually won the league by a margin of 27 points.

While some English fans may scoff at success in the Welsh league, Harrison’s TNS side were also given the chance to play in the Scottish Irn-Bru Challenge Cup this season, where they performed admirably.

Open to all teams from the Scottish Football League (from one tier below the Scottish Premier League), Harrison’s side reached the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup, where they were defeated by St Mirren.

Harrison’s side almost completed a third successive Welsh domestic treble this season, but were pipped to the Welsh Cup. Even so, that still makes eight trophies in three seasons - Harrison’s impact on the club has been significant.

The jump from the Welsh league to the English pyramid will be a formidable transition, but it has been bridged before.

Nigel Adkins is one of the more famous names to do so, having guided Southampton from League One to the Premier League after leaving Bangor City behind.

If Harrison can do a similar job with Hartlepool, then his appointment will prove to be a very astute one indeed.