FOUR managers, 44 players, two sets of owners, 45 points from 46 games and a goal difference of minus 31. And still Hartlepool United survived in the Football League.

There was, for most of the season, only one relegation place up for grabs. Pools had their name on one of them.

But as Pools picked up, others went into freefall.

After losing at Wycombe at the start of January, Pools were ten points short of the safety line. Between that defeat and the end of the season, Ronnie Moore raked in 31 points, Tranmere only took 17 and Cheltenham 13.

When Moore took over in December, Pools had 12 points from 20 games. They then accrued 32 pts in 25 games under his control.

Under Colin Cooper and Paul Murray, Pools won one of their first ten home games in League Two. Under Moore they won seven of 13.

The Great Escape? More the Greatest of Escapes.

It started with promises from Colin Cooper that the drop off in results and performances the previous season was put to bed.

“Last year we probably weren’t good enough in our own box to keep it out of our goal and we probably weren’t good enough at the other end in the opposition penalty box,’’ said Cooper.

So Instead Pools became worse in both penalty areas. By the time he walked away in October they had scored five times and conceded 17 from 11 games.

Cooper floundered in the cut and thrust of League Two, with little signs of progress or improvement.

The choice of his replacement was strange and a reckless gamble. Paul Murray was well respected as a player and a thinking midfielder during his playing days at Pools, but offering a rookie boss the chance in such a precarious position knocked the club sideways and backwards.

Murray was guilty of trying to do too much, wanting to do everything and take charge of it all. Instead he controlled nothing apart from a rabble. He did sign players, Scott Fenwick and Nicky Featherstone proved their worth later, but the rest can be forgotten in an instant.

Amid rumours of a takeover happening, Moore had the pleasure of watching Pools at their worst, taking in the 4-0 defeat at Burton in December.

Also watching were the proposed new owners. They were unveiled on the same day as Moore and the manager made a more lasting impression. Peter Harris and Co were not given the chance to get their hands on the club and it remains in the safe hands of IOR and Ken Hodcroft.

Moore was allowed to make his share of loan signings and he proved his ability to spot a player. The loanees brought a new look to the club, a different approach and momentum was gathered.

But when they got to within touching distance of jumping off bottom spot, they blew it.

Last chance saloon in sight, they managed to win at Morecambe and, such was the determination and focus, it was clear they would triumph at Oxford four days later.

Supporters were soon leaving Victoria Park to the strains of the Great Escape. They finally had momentum and broke out of the bottom two.

The pressure became different. Could they stay out of it? It didn’t look like they could as they dropped points with alarming ease.

But Tranmere and Cheltenham were even worse and their failings kept Pools’ heads above water.

Hit of the Season

Ronnie Moore – manager of the year elect for what he achieved at Victoria Park. How he managed to keep Pools in the Football League is the stuff of legends and he’s quite rightly been in the headlines for it.

Flop of the Season

Take your pick. Far too many to mention... Colin Cooper for leaving Pools in such a mess, Paul Murray for leaving Pools in such a mess and how many players can be mentioned for being part of the mess?

Goal of the Season

Michael Duckworth v Carlisle (May 2)

Goals, for the majority of the season, have been in short supply and Duckworth saved the best until last. Two minutes after Jordan Hugill’s tap-in last weekend to make it Carlisle 3 Pools 1, Duckworth went on the charge, beat two men, passed into Marlon Harewood who touched the ball back and it sat up for a first-time blast from 25 yards. Not bad for a right-back.

Moment of the Season

The moment Cheltenham’s defeat to Shrewsbury was confirmed. Pools, with a game to go, had done their bit, and were waiting four minutes for the Robins’ game to end. When it did, Victoria Park erupted. Grown men cried, the players celebrated with more gusto than they had show for most of the campaign. Job done.

2014-15 record (all competitions)

P50 W13 D9 L28 F45 A80 Pt 45 Gd-36