Everything we know about new Hartlepool United manager Darren Sarll so far

Everything we know about new Hartlepool United manager Darren Sarll so far:

1. He had the final say on the retained list and said it was one of the most difficult of his career

Sarll’s appointment on April 27 was just three days before the publication of the long-awaited retained list, but the boss has insisted that he made the decisions on who stayed and who went. With the general consensus being that Pools are in need of a summer makeover, it wasn’t too much of a surprise to see Sarll be pretty ruthless, releasing nine players, including established midfielders Tom Crawford and Callum Cooke and popular forward Josh Umerah, and making both Joel Dixon and Manny Onariase available for transfer. Sarll, who has never shied away from making big decisions throughout his career, said this year’s retained list was one of the most difficult he’s ever had to publish

2. Sarll was very keen to keep hold of stalwarts Nicky Featherstone and David Ferguson

The seasoned duo, who have both subsequently pledged their futures to Pools, were considered an essential component of the “club’s heart” by the former manager of Stevenage, Yeovil, and Woking. He expressed his desire to retain them. Featherstone has always caused controversy on the terraces, but Sarll praised his ability, experience, and long-standing relationship with Pools. Featherstone signed a player-coach contract to stay in the North East for one additional season. David Ferguson, a left-back who turns 30 next month, was also highly praised by him. Given that this is his first position in this region of the nation, he emphasized the value of keeping players who are familiar with the community and the team.

3. The appointment of former Stoke, Port Vale and Yeovil defender Carl Dickinson as his assistant suggests he wants Pools to be fitter next season

Sarll reunited with Dickinson, 37, having coached him at Yeovil, reaching the National League play-offs together. As a player, Dickinson was renowned for his full-blooded, committed and all-action approach, which should suit what supporters are expecting from Sarll. Prior to his appointment, Dickinson had still been playing and was an integral part of the Congleton Town side that were crowned Midland League Premier Division champions last month. However, he’d also been working as a strength and conditioning coach and, like Sarll, has already stressed the need to make sure Pools are fitter next season. Previous boss Kevin Phillips often bemoaned his side’s lack of fitness last season – indeed, Pools won just two midweek games all campaign – and warned of the need for a rigorous pre-season. The arrival of Dickinson as his number two would suggest Sarll is of the same mind.

4. No room for sentimentality regarding club legend Antony Sweeney

One of the most difficult decisions Sarll has had to make was regarding the future of Antony Sweeney, and it’s worth noting that it’s impossible to be sure how much Sweeney’s exit was on his own terms, or how much it was a decision made by the new boss. Either way, Sarll has proved he feels there’s no room for sentimentality regarding the legendary Sweeney, who is the club’s third highest appearance maker and spent almost a decade in various coaching roles, including four separate spells as caretaker. While supporters were almost universally disappointed to see Sweeney move on, it was not totally unexpected given that Sarll is understandably keen to bring in people he has prior experience of working with.