Paul Hartley: Hartlepool United appoint Cove Rangers boss as new manager

Hartlepool United have appointed Cove Rangers boss Paul Hartley as their new manager after agreeing compensation with the Scottish club.

The 45-year-old has been in charge at Alloa Athletic, Dundee and most recently Cove Rangers where he oversaw two promotions up to the Championship.

Hartley, along with assistant Gordon Young, succeeds Graeme Lee, who was sacked after five months in May.

"This is an opportunity me and Gordon couldn't turn down," Hartley said.

"The club has truly incredible support from its fans and there is so much potential for this club to kick on."

Cove Rangers had given permission for the pair to speak to League Two Hartlepool, who returned with a second offer to prise Hartley and Young away to the English Football League.

"Compensation has now been agreed and Paul leaves with the best wishes of everyone at Cove Rangers FC," their statement read.

As a player, Hartley won honours with Hearts and Celtic and also had stints in England with Millwall and Bristol City.

After returning to the EFL last season following promotion from the National League, Pools were forced to recruit a new boss when Stockport came in for Dave Challinor mid-season and Lee was named successor.

However, chairman Raj Singh has pledged to give Hartley a "significantly increased budget" to work with given his previous achievements in securing promotion at Alloa, Dundee and Cove.

"Paul has proven to be a winner throughout his career and he is clearly a very hard working and ambitious manager that has already had some remarkable managerial success," Singh said.

"He is a manager and a coach and he has real clarity about how he and Gordon will take the job on. Gordon also comes with an excellent pedigree.

"We spoke to numerous people privately about Paul from across the game and unanimously the opinion was to just go and get him."