KEN Hodcroft is hoping a touch of the Sir Alex Ferguson magic will again rub off on Victoria Park.

After former Manchester United goalkeeper Chris Turner revamped Hartlepool United, the Pool chairman yesterday appointed his second manager to come under Ferguson's tutelage.

Neale Cooper was the surprise announcement yesterday, a little over three weeks after Mike Newell was sacked.

Cooper the player enjoyed seven trophy-laden years under Sir Alex as an Aberdeen midfielder, winning a host of silverware including the 1983 European Cup Winners Cup.

Cooper the manager had six and a half years of success at Ross County, before leaving last November.

And it's that experience that Hodcroft is putting his faith in.

Pool youth team coach Martin Scott was promoted to assistant manager as part of the shake-up on the day Pool completed their first summer signing - defender Micky Nelson moving from Bury for £70,000.

Hodcroft, who admitted for the first time he axed Newell because he felt the man who led Pool to promotion had taken the club as far as he could, obtained a reference on Cooper from Sir Alex.

Cooper is one of many of the Aberdeen Gothenburg heroes of 1983 to make their management mark.

Gordon Strachan, Alex McLeish, Willie Miller and Mark McGhee have all taken the lead from Britain's greatest boss.

"It's strange that we have all gone into the same game,'' admitted Cooper.

"It seems that a lot of us have learned from him. His man management, ideas and training were ahead of the game and it's things we all remember.

"He's probably calmed down a lot over the years, but I had great times under him. I got my debut at 16 and since then we have kept in touch. There's been times as a manager when I've queried things with him and I'm very grateful for the fact he has time for me.

"He made some points for me that were very valuable at the time and after I left Ross County he invited me down to Manchester to work with him for a week, but I went down there and it's like film star stuff - I had to leave my car tucked away in the fourth car park! "But it was magic to be able to watch and work with them and hopefully I got things out of it which I can bring to the club.'' And Cooper admitted that as a rookie manager he was not afraid to offer the famous Ferguson hair-dryer treatment to any under achievers.

"Maybe at times I was quite aggressive with players,'' he admitted. "But that doesn't seem to work now, because the mentality of younger players has changed. It's not all about bawling and shouting now.

"I realised that after losing my voice a few times, but Sir Alex's man management skills are second to none and I've tried to take some of that with me.'' Cooper, who plans to move to the North-East, will meet the players for the first time when they return for pre-season training on Monday.

Former Sunderland defender Scott will also take control of Pool's reserve side. "I'm very proud to be in this position. The chairman knows I'm ambitious and I see this as a great opportunity,'' he said.

Central defender Nelson yesterday passed a medical to complete the deal first revealed in Northern Echo SPORT on Wednesday.

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