Season of instability 'made things tough'

Hartlepool United midfielder Nicky Featherstone admits that another season of managerial changes has made things difficult for the Pools squad.

- Robbie Stelling

Pools have used three different managers for the second successive campaign, with Lennie Lawrence replacing Darren Sarll in October before Anthony Limbrick took charge in February following the veteran's sudden decision to take a step back.

Indeed, Pools have become renowned for instability in the dugout in recent years; Limbrick is the 16th permanent Pools appointment in the last decade, while there have also been eight caretaker regimes. Of the 16 permanent appointments, only Ronnie Moore, architect of the 'great escape' in the 2014/15 season, and promotion-winning boss Dave Challinor managed more than a year in the role.

All that chopping and changing has yielded two relegations and just three top half finishes, two of which were underwhelming 12th placed efforts, in the last 10 seasons.

Since he signed for Pools in October 2014, Featherstone has seen a staggering 26 changes in the dugout. The veteran midfielder, who is the club's third highest appearance maker of all time, has been written off, relegated, scapegoated and even released but remains one of the most influential figures at the Prestige Group Stadium after more than a decade.