RONNIE MOORE yesterday added to his Hartlepool United backroom staff, with Tony Caig joining as goalkeeping coach.

Caig has left Carlisle, where he spent ten years as a player in two spells, and has been part of the backroom staff since 2009.

Pools have been without a goalkeeping coach since Stephen Pears left the club during the second-half of last season. Pears initially joined as assistant manager to Colin Cooper last summer, but changed roles after Moore was appointed in December.

Caig, who also spent three years at Newcastle United without making a first-team appearance, said: “I have been back there (Carlisle) for six years and for five and a bit of them, I really enjoyed working there. I have a lot of time for the club as a whole – I played there for nine years as well.

“I just felt it was time for a change. Things weren’t quite right for me personally and when that happens, sometimes it is better to look for a fresh challenge and seeing where that takes you.

“I like the feel of things here, with the staff and players all going the same way together.”

Moore is likely to be seeking two new goalkeepers this summer. Back up Jon Maxted was released, while Scott Flinders is understood to be leaving. He was offered a new deal, but on reduced terms and is weighing up his options, with a move closer to his Barnsley home on the cards.

Pools have been linked with a move for Steve Harper, with the former Newcastle keeper released by Hull City.

However, Harper is keen to move into coaching and the chances of him signing for Pools and working under Caig – the pair were at St James’ together, with Caig backing up Harper and Shay Given – are unlikely.

Moore said he wasn’t giving Flinders, Matthew Bates, Neil Austin and Jonathan Franks much time to decide on their futures with the four offered new deals on reduced terms.

Bates is likely to sign, Austin could leave and Franks is attracting interest from Scunthorpe United.

Monday’s signing of Carl Magnay from Grimsby has weakened Austin’s bargaining position. While Magnay can play anywhere across the back four, it was at right back where he won multiple Mariners’ player of the year honours.

Peterborough United were also keen on the 26-year-old, but the chance to move back to the North-East appealed. Born in Gateshead, and a former Birtley Town defender in the Wearside League before he made the leap to Chelsea, he admitted: “When I was offered the chance to go to Hartlepool, it gave me an opportunity to go home and play my football back in the North East – the training ground there is less than ten miles from where my family are.

"Obviously from a personal point of view, you want to play as high as you can and Hartlepool are a Football League club, but that certainly wasn't a deal breaker. It was the location that just made sense.

"I'll now be moving back to the North East, I can get to training within 15 minutes and it just makes life much easier now for me, both financially and logistically.’’