OFF-FIELD uncertainty has not affected the Hartlepool United squad insists Matthew Bates.

The stand-in manager led his players in training yesterday morning, ahead of tomorrow’s must win game with Doncaster.

With the club’s Football League status on the line, Pools are without a manager after Dave Jones was sacked and Gary Coxall this week stood down as chairman.

He is being replaced at the helm by the club’s first female chair, with Pam Duxbury fulfilling his duties.

And Bates said: “The chairman has stood down and it doesn’t affect me. I heard on Tuesday, without knowing the ins and outs of it to be honest.

“Pam steps up and that’s as far as I know for now, I’m sure things will come out in the coming weeks. Let’s forget about it and get on with Saturday. It’s no distraction for the players, one game to go, one game to win. What goes on behind the scenes doesn’t affect them.

“The players have been the same.’’

He added: “There really is a positive attitude to the place, it’s a bubbly dressing room, it really is. We go again in training today and we will make sure every player knows their job when it comes about on Saturday.’’

Pools have to beat Doncaster and then rely on Newport failing to beat Notts County to avoid dropping into the National League. Rovers can win the league to complicate matters for Pools.

Bates admitted: “Doncaster will be a tough one, we have had them watched. They are beatable and we were level with them down there at the end until we changed the shape.

“We will set up to beat them, they aren’t in a great run but they come here to try and win the league, we are fighting doubly hard to stay in the league.

“Pressure doesn’t come into it. You have to look it as a positive – we can have a hero on Saturday, most of the players have played in front of big crowds in big games before.

“They will be fine. There’s added pressure on them as much us.’’

Pools will have their biggest crowd of the season, with the remaining £5 tickets on sale until 5.30pm tonight.

Bates said: “The fans are brilliant, I said last weekend for them to stay back like they did was remarkable. The effort the lads put in was appreciated.

“They will be behind us, an electric atmosphere, the biggest crowd since I’ve came here. It’s important to start well. Keep that level up and the fans will be with us for 90 minutes.’

“The message to the fans is that with the numbers coming they can be the 12th man. I'm sure they will be brilliant.’’

There was a toxic atmosphere inside Victoria Park last time out, with the crowd turning on the former manager and ex-chairman.

They are no longer around and Bates said: "The Barnet game? They had things on their mind about the manager and chairman.

"I can understand all that, the only problem they have now is with the players!

"I hope they can get behind the lads for one last push and see if we can all do it."

With Billy Paynter, Stuart Parnaby and Ian Gallagher forming a managerial team with Bates, the boss said: “We try to pick a team to win the weekend, it’s a good headache to have with options.

“We are all singing from the same hymn sheet, we know what we want to do, we all think the same way to come up with a team for the weekend.

“Liam Kennedy is back from suspension, Kenton Richardson will probably miss out. Apart from that it’s a full squad with options.’’

Nathan Thomas should be fine after being replaced last weekend at Cheltenham in the second half and Bates added: "He's been struggling with his knee a little bit. But he' train today and I think he'll be OK for Saturday."

"It's a tough decision with a Liam and Jordan (Richards) back, we've not decided what we are going to do yet."