HARTLEPOOL United are now in the process of drawing up a shortlist of candidates to fill their managerial vacancy in the hope that an appointment will be made in a month’s time. 

Following the conclusion of the League Two season, it’s understood that Pools are now working their way through a list of candidates with interviews set to take place in the next few weeks. There has been early interest in the role with several candidates already putting applications forward.

The club are hopeful that their new manager will be appointed by the end of May or the start of June to give the new boss ample time to prepare for the season ahead, plan the club’s pre-season schedule and work towards building a squad capable of pushing further up the League Two table. 

The 2022/23 League Two campaign is due to start on Saturday 30th July due to a winter break for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. 

The club’s search for a successor is not mutually exclusive to managers who are currently out of work as they aim to explore all avenues to find the ideal candidate. Senior sources have also debunked that a successor was ready to step into the role following Graeme Lee’s sacking and that Pools had planned to do their due diligence in appointing a new manager. 

Lee was relieved of his duties on Thursday evening after five months in charge where he managed to steer the club to League Two safety as well as producing runs in the FA Cup and the Papa John’s Trophy. 

However, one win in from eleven has cost him his job with assistant manager Micky Nelson taking first-team duties for the 2-0 defeat at Colchester United on the final day of the season. 

Following the game at the Suit Direct Stadium, Nelson told the media he was unsure of his own future and would continue to fulfil the role until told otherwise. 

Meanwhile, the club are continuing to hold talks with several first-team players who are out of contract in the summer.  

Tom Crawford and David Ferguson have recently put pen-to-paper on fresh two-year deals but several others are still locked in talks with the club over an extension.