Barron happy to hand the baton over to Cooper (From The Northern Echo)

Barron happy to hand the baton over to Cooper

8:00am Monday 2nd January 2012 in Hartlepool United Match Reports By Nick Loughlin

NEALE Cooper took a back seat for his first game in control again at Hartlepool United; unfortunately for the new manager most of his players did the same.

Appointed last Wednesday, the returning manager allowed Micky Barron to look after the game at Sheffield United.

So Barron picked the team and formation and patrolled the technical area at Bramall Lane with Cooper, normally so animated and passionate on the touchlines mostly watching from the dug out.

No doubt his traits will be at the fore this afternoon when Pools take on Scunthorpe at Victoria Park.

There was probably little he could have done on Saturday anyway as the side managed by Danny Wilson, the boss who picked up the pieces following the difficulties which followed Cooper's 2005 Victoria Park sacking, swept their way to an eighth successive win.

Automatic promotion and a return to the Championship is on his agenda. For Cooper helping Pools to a welcome first home win since mid-September today would be a start.

Pools home form cost Mick Wadsworth his job, Micky Barron in his one home outing couldn't stop the rot.

Today it's Cooper's turn and, after the experience of four games in charge, Barron is happy to revert back to being a coach and leave the management side of the game to the new boss

"This was my last game, definitely,'' admitted Barron. "I picked the team and take the responsibility. We were all disappointed first-half and Neale thought we were a bit easy and conceded poor goals.

"Second-half we asked them to do more and players showed him they can play and the spirit has give him something to think about.

"I've known Neale a long time and it's different as a player looking at him as a manager, working alongside him as coach is a different type of relationship.''

Barron and Ritchie Humphreys form the backroom team with goalkeeping coach Andy Collett and the former youth team coach reflected: "It's nice that he (Cooper) comes in and says he wants to work alongside the current staff and reassuring and it's something I'm looking forward to.

"I've had a few games in charge and enjoyed the win at Oldham. But there's so much to do and for the time being I'm better off as a coach and working on the training ground with the players.

"It's about learning my trade as a coach and developing as a coach. Someday in the future, if the opportunity arises, then I would like to do it but at the minute it seems a long way off.

"Neale will bring enthusiasm and a liveliness around the place. He wants to play good football, attacking football and I think the players will respond to that.

"The home at home we have been on affects confidence, but with Neale coming back it will bring a great atmosphere to the place and the players will pick up on that and hopefully we will go with it.''

With around 2,000 season ticket holders missing from the recent home games, Cooper's return should see the majority back for today and Saturday's meeting with Rochdale.

Six points, a couple of goals, and the spark chairman Ken Hodcroft hoped for in appointing Cooper will be back.

But they will have to start far better than they did at Bramall Lane and more like the Blades did.

They penned Pools back from the first whistle, three corners arrived inside the first 90 seconds, and that set the tone.

Ched Evans was too quick and strong and with movement and pace throughout the attacking unit, Pools struggled to cope.

Three-down at the break, it was game over. Pools shuffled their formation around, and altered the personnel and they did make more of a second-half fist of it.

Just like on his first game in control of Pools, at Peterborough in August 2003, Cooper's side was chasing the game. Unlike at Peterborough, however, there was no sign of a dramatic comeback. That day they won 4-3 after being both 2-0 and 3-1 down.

Peter Hartley's injury time goal was all they could claw back this time and the outcome was the same as Cooper's last game in charge - a 3-1 Victoria Park loss to Walsall in April 2005.