MW - keep him, Pools

By Charlie Summerbell
September 6 2010

The dust has settled after Chris Turner's departure, and it's time for Hartlepool United to appoint a replacement. Whether that is Mick Wadsworth or somebody else is for the club hierarchy and Wadsworth himself to decide, but the situation can't be left in limbo for much longer.

And whatever decision is made, hopefully Wadsworth will be involved somewhere.
Pools might not be exactly setting League One on fire, but they looked a better team than last season and Wadsworth himself is convinced there will be no repeat of the relegation fears which have blighted the last two seasons.
He says: "We're playing a way that we understand and I think we'll do okay. I've no doubt about that.
"I think this group of players have been together for a while with a couple of additions who've done pretty well.
"I've no terrible doubts about being near the bottom of the league this year. I think we'll be fine."
Wadsworth's vast experience certainly appears to have made a difference, especially away from home where Pools have been so bad in recent seasons.
His track record as a manager is not too impressive, and he has made it pretty clear he prefers to do the coaching rather than sit at a desk, but Pools would clearly be making a mistake to overlook him when a new boss is installed.
It appears that the players like working with him, which is more than half the battle, and his upbeat appraisal of the way things have gone so far will surely attract a lot of support from the fans.
So save the wage bill a few bob, Pools, and don't bother with a Director of Sport (it was a stupid job for a small club anyway). Appoint a desk-driver to work as a team with Wadsworth, and find somebody who can type and fill in forms to replace Russ Green as chief exec.
Meanwhile, how about this for a theory on why Turner and Green left - Green (with help from Turner?) was negotiating with a Middle East oil concern to be away shirt sponsors when they suddenly realised they could buy the club for peanuts.
But when they made their offer, Ken Hodcroft refused to sell without being allowed to stay on as chairman. Green and Turner, so the theory goes, had been deeply involved as go-betweens and had to stand down when the deal collapsed.
In the absence of any word from the parties involved, it's fiction, of course - but it's as good a theory as any of the others going the rounds over the last few weeks.