Singh so impressed with boss Challinor

Owner Raj Singh is delighted with the new management set-up at Hartlepool United following the arrival of Dave Challinor and assistant Joe Parkinson.

Singh admitted the decision to relieve Craig Hignett of his duties back in October was one of the toughest he’s had to make.

But the slight upturn in form since as well as the appointment of a National League proven manager in Dave Challinor has excited the United chairman going into the second half of the campaign.

“I know there is nothing guaranteed in football but I would go so far as to say that Dave is a cut above all the other managers we’ve had installed here and also the ones who I worked with at Darlington,” he said.

“In terms of squad and money management for a team at this level, he’s different class. We are also really pleased to have Joe on board.

“When his name was first mentioned, I didn’t know a lot about him other than the memories I have of him in an Everton shirt.”

Despite Challinor being Pools’ fourth permanent manager in the space of a year, Singh has no regrets over the decisions he’s made so far this season.

“I know people have been making comment on the fact we’ve now appointed our fourth manager in the 18 months we’ve been in charge,” he added in his matchday programme column.

“The one thing I would say in response to that is that since we took the big decision to make a change six weeks ago there has not been one moment when Mark or I have felt we made the wrong choice.

“If you don’t feel everything is right in the background – and sometimes fans can’t always see that – then you have no choice but to make big decisions and changes.

“That’s what we’ve done and results are speaking for themselves.

“The fact we are feeling disappointed having only picked up [nine] points from our last [six] league games highlights our progress because if we can keep to that form and slightly improve it then I imagine we would be there or thereabouts come the end of the season.”