THE manager of one of the region's top football clubs was last night suspended after a changing room bust up.

Martin Scott has been temporarily relieved of his position as manager of Hartlepool United while a club investigation takes place.

The club has spent this week looking into events that followed last Saturday's 3-0 defeat to Blackpool at Victoria Park, when Scott was said to have been involved in an altercation with at least one player in the Pool dressing room.

A statement released last night said: "Following incidents in and around the players' dressing room after the game on Saturday, the club has suspended Martin Scott from his duties pending a full internal investigation to events that took place.

"Martin is co-operating fully with this procedure.''

Neither Scott or anyone at Victoria Park was able to comment or add to the statement.

However, a further announcement is expected this morning from the club.

Following last weekend's defeat, Scott's raised voice could be heard coming from the home dressing room. Players and staff tried to restore order as tempers flared.

A number of club stewards entered the dressing room but were immediately ordered away by the manager.

Afterwards, Scott refused to comment on claims that a punch had been thrown at him.

Chairman Ken Hodcroft prides himself on the professional image the club now enjoys since owners Increased Oil Recovery Ltd (IOR) took control in 1997.

On Sunday, the club started it's investigation, taking statements from players and staff who were in the dressing room. Scott was called to give evidence yesterday afternoon after spending the early part of the week at Warwick University studying for his UEFA pro licence coaching qualifications.

Last weekend's defeat plunged Pool into the relegation places in League One and extended their winless run to nine games. Their last victory was on December 10, and Scott won only 11 games from his 40 in charge, losing 18.

Scott was appointed permanent manager last June. He replaced Neale Cooper as temporary boss at the end of last season and led Pool to the League One play-off final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, where they lost 4-2 to Sheffield Wednesday in extra time in front of almost 70,000 fans. They were just eight minutes from promotion to the Championship before conceding a late penalty which levelled the scores.

Scott was confirmed in the post permanently on June 18, 2005 and joined the club as youth team coach in 2000 after his playing days were ended by an ankle operation.

Scott, 38, made more then 100 appearances for Sunderland, where the tough-tackling left back became a crowd favourite, but he suffered a broken leg in 1999 and fell out of favour with boss Peter Reid.

Following an aborted attempt to return to action, he teamed up with Pool after an approach from then-boss Chris Turner and built a burgeoning reputation as youth team coach as a number of his players made the step up to the first team.

After missing out on the manager's job at Victoria Park on two previous occasions, it was third time lucky when he was confirmed in control last summer.

And, after going so close to promotion last season, he vowed to go one better and lead Pool out of League One this season.

But they have won only eight League games this season and have the worst home record in the division, with only three wins and 16 goals.

Meanwhile, youth team coach Paul Stephenson has been placed in temporary charge of the first team.