CRAIG HIGNETT is in it for the long-term as Hartlepool United boss, with no going back to his previous role.

Another madcap week at the club saw manager Richard Money and director of football Hignett in effect swop jobs.

Hignett will be in charge of the team, starting with tomorrow’s home game with Braintree, with Money starting to oversee the set up of the football side of things at Pools away from the first-team.

Manager from February 2016 to January 2017, Hignett had two games as caretaker earlier this season before Money was appointed.

Money’s last game in charge was last weekend’s defeat at Harrogate, Pools’ third successive loss under the manager who was only appointed in December.

And that defeat instigated more change at the club.

“We had some really honest talking and it was something that Richard had started and was being honest about – where he saw himself and the role. It’s a big job. The chairman, board were of the same opinion and eventually I was,’’ said Hignett.

“When Matty [Bates] had gone I went around telling people what a good job this was without thinking about myself.

“He challenged me and asked me. I would like to manage, I’ve said that it wasn’t here and that was because I’m here to look after the chairman’s money as best I can, to protect him.

“But Richard said if I wasn’t going to be here then where would I be?

“You are relying on people who know you somewhere else. This club, from the board and support from there this time around is totally different to last time. From that point I could not go anywhere with the same level of support.

“On top of that I have the experience of Richard to fall back on.’’

Money, who was at the club’s training ground this morning with Hignett and the players as he gets stuck into his new position, will oversee a number of areas in the coming weeks and months.

Hignett admitted of Money’s position: “It’s a big job, it’s the football infrastructure which needs looking into – physio, sports science, medical, recruitment which we have looked at since I’ve been there. The big one is the academy as we lose our funding so we have to restructure and rebuild that.

“I’m in charge of the team, he doesn’t want to be called director of football, but he will oversee things so looking forward, when we get promoted, we will be in a much better place.’’

Hignett was sacked by then owner Gary Coxall as the club imploded off the pitch.

Now, with the situation stable under Raj Singh, Hignett is happy to be able to concentrate solely on his players and now be concerned with off-field issues.

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He added: “There’s a lot of support for me from above, the club is a far better one than the one I was manager of. Moving forward we will be better, we have to be. It’s time the club settled down and I know it looks a mad club from outside.

“For me, it feels like we have settled it massively and the chairman has cleared the debts. We have made massive strides forward, but the disappointment is that we haven’t done that on the pitch.

“It’s not good enough for us and we want to give fans something to be excited about. That’s my job from now, starting Saturday, but I’m confident we have the right people at the club to make it a success.

“Let’s hope now they stick with the manager! This is for the foreseeable future. I’ve thrown myself into this job as manager and it’s not a short-term thing.’’