Former Newcastle United star sensationally steps down as Hartlepool United head coach
Lee Clark confirmed he had stepped down as Hartlepool United head coach just minutes after their defeat against Worthing on Saturday lunchtime.
Former Newcastle United and Sunderland midfielder Lee Clark confirmed he had resigned from his position as head coach of National League club Hartlepool United just minutes after Saturday’s home defeat against Worthing.
The former St James Park favourite was named as Pools boss during a summer of change at Victoria Park and there were high hopes he could trigger an upturn in fortunes at the club as they looked to secure a return to the EFL. Clark’s squad was completely overhauled throughout a hectic period in the transfer market as the likes of Chelsea and England Under-20 goalkeeper Max Merrick, former Gateshead striker Will Harris and former Newcastle academy defender Liam Gibson were all snapped up.
After making a strong start by claiming maximum points from a home game with Barrow and an away day at Aldershot Town, Clark’s side embarked on a run of just one win in their next six games and slipped into the bottom half of the National League table. The pressure was ramped up on Clark when his side suffered successive away defeats at Kidderminster Harriers and Altrincham over the last week - and his side were unable to return to winning ways as they produced a lacklustre display in Saturday’s home defeat against Worthing.
The full-time whistle brought a chorus of boos from the vast majority of the almost-4,000 crowd inside Victoria Park as their side ended the weekend sitting in the bottom six of the National League table. Clark admitted he felt the atmosphere was not going to change and confirmed his decision to step down within half an hour of his side’s sixth defeat in their last seven games.
‘I resign from my position with immediate effect’
Speaking in a one-question post-match press conference, Clark said: “There was no reaction to the result or the performance. All I want to say is I resign from my position with immediate effect. I wanted to give this club and the fans something to be proud of, what they deserve. I haven’t been able to do that unfortunately. I know what this club means, I said it at the start when I got the job. I was excited to take it and I wanted to be the man that got them back where they need to be and deserve to be. It hasn’t worked out.
“You’ve heard the reaction of the supporters. I took a long time out of the game and I wasn’t going to be coming back and getting an atmosphere like that. It’s not going to change and it’s not nice for the family and friends to listen to that. I wish whoever takes the job on success. I wish the fans all of the best. They’re a magnificent group of people. The people in behind the scenes, my staff, the people in the offices, they’re absolutely brilliant and the support I’ve had from the chairman, the owner, Chris Maxwell, it’s been fantastic. But you have to understand in this game, I’m nearly 54, you have to understand when things aren’t going your way.”
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