CRAIG HIGNETT admitted he was ashamed as Hartlepool United ended their season on a depressing note.

Pools were whacked 5-0 at Plymouth, their biggest defeat since losing by the same scoreline to Coventry at Victoria Park in John Hughes’ first game in November 2012.

They last conceded five in September 2014, in losing 5-1 at Northampton Town.

Hignett said: “I can’t say what I feel, ashamed, embarrassed, disgusted. I said before I didn’t want an end of season jolly up and that’s what I got.

“Non-effort, non-trying, lack of hard work, crappy end of the season performance – that’s exactly what it was.’’

Pools sign off the campaign today with the players away on holiday until they return on June 29 for pre-season.

But Hignett admitted the hard work for him and right-hand man Curtis Fleming starts now.

He said: “Coming back next season and standards won’t be the same – they will be higher for us. The league, with respect, isn’t a good league and finishing 16th is embarrassing, I don’t want that next season, I want to compete and if people don’t want to then they are gone.’’

“We had players missing, two of our best defenders, and we put players in there who aren’t anywhere near that standard.’’

Pools were backed at Home Park by massed ranks of supporters dressed as Star Wars Stormtroopers.

And Hignett saluted the travelling fans for their efforts: “I was feeling for the fans – I’m fuming for them. I wanted a show for them they’ve been brilliant again, and we gave them that at the end, it’s sickening. I’m sick of it.

“Away fans are brilliant – travel in numbers, get dressed up and now they did for hours on a bus and it’s sickening for me, never mind them.

“I makes me more determined to do more. Things happened today which I wasn’t planning, but they happened and I’ll need it sorting. A proper rebuilding job in the summer.’’

“You get that amount of people to come down and give them that I feel embarrassed, but it makes me more determined.’’