Neale Cooper returns to Hartlepool helm

Neale Cooper has been reappointed as the manager of League One club Hartlepool United.

The 48-year-old had a two-year spell in charge at Victoria Park up until 2005, but was forced to leave the position because of personal and family issues.

However, following the sacking of Mick Wadsworth, Cooper has taken over the helm once again.

"Although the club received many applications for the vacant position and studied all CVs carefully, it was decided that by appointing Neale, and retaining Micky Barron as the reserve team coach, it would cause minimum disruption to the team's main focus which is to climb the division and to try and reverse the current trend of home defeats," read a statement from the club's directors.

"In addition, Neale is familiar with several of the existing team members, the staff in the office and fully understands the economic constraints that the owners have to keep in place due to the current financially-depressed climate."

His first game in charge is a trip to Sheffield United on Saturday afternoon.