Hartlepool United part company with Simon Grayson after a 1-1 draw with Gainsborough and appoint an interim replacement.
Grayson, who was appointed in June, departs having just picked up one win in the last 11 games with Nicky Featherstone assuming interim manager duties.
Pools currently sit 12th in the National League table with 18 points from 14 games played, and 4 points from the playoffs places.
BREAKING 🚨 Hartlepool United have parted company with Simon Grayson.#Pools | #HUFC | #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/9yoaeGg5JU
— BBC Sport Tees (@BBCTeesSport) October 12, 2025
Club Statement.#HUFC
— Hartlepool United (@Official_HUFC) October 12, 2025
CLUB STATEMENT:
Hartlepool United Football Club has today parted company with manager Simon Grayson.
Following discussions yesterday evening and a board meeting this morning, it became clear that expectations with performances and results have not been met.
Obtaining one win in the last 11 games falls short of the required standard; therefore, the Board of Directors have collectively made the extremely difficult decision to relieve Simon of his duties.
The Board wishes to thank Simon for his efforts and wish him the very best in his future endeavours.
Nicky Featherstone, aided by Elliott Dickman and Adam Smith, will take control of the team for the interim period, starting with Tuesday night’s FA Cup Replay at home to Gainsborough Trinity.
POST MATCH INTERVIEW:
Interviewer: “Simon, it’s finished one-all. What do make of that?”
Simon: “Not very good whatsoever. I can stand here and say, give the players credit that we kept going, kept going, but no, can’t sugarcoat that.
“For 80-90 % of the game we were really poor. In possession, out possession.
“We stressed to the players before the game where we’ve had a real good week in training. There’s been energy, there’s been sort of a real sort of purpose to what we were doing.
“There’s two key words that we had to use was being professional and having application, stroke, attitude.
“And for large parts of that game, fair play to games, where we knew we were in for tough games, I know Russ really well, but it’s an unacceptable performance.
“In possession, we worked good enough out of possession, we didn’t jump onto second balls, we didn’t defend well enough, didn’t win enough individual battles at half time, games with time, we won every individual battle going out on that pitch.
“And that’s unacceptable for me as a coach and manager, that we had to do better and on another day we don’t get anything out of the game.
“Fortunately we’ve, an unbelievable strike from Nathan [Ferguson] has got us into a replay and probably games will be absolutely gutted that they’ve only scorned one goal against us so totally unacceptable performance and the players have been aware of that.
“It’s first time I’ve really lost my temper with the players and they’ve got to take responsibility.
“We can put on tactics, we can do sessions, but if you don’t run around and compete with the opposition, you might as well give up playing.”
Interviewer: “What do you put that down to? Because we spoke earlier in the week, didn’t we, about mentality and the way they use their application. Do you think it may have been a mentality thing?”
Simon: “Yes, that’s the players. Because we prepared as well as we were preparing for York, Carlisle last week.
“We did the work, said the players looked really sharp all week, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday when we trained, detail of what we were going to do was there.
“We just didn’t have any spark to us, we didn’t run around, we didn’t compete. Football, people can talk about systems and playing nice tippy-tappy football, you’ve got run around and have a desire that comes from within.
“And if you’re not doing it, you need teammates that are going to push you to make sure that in a constructive way that you’re going to get the best out of them.
“Too many of our players today were below performances without a shadow of doubt something I’m not happy about but at least we’re still in the FA Cup as it stands.”
Interviewer: “Yeah, you mentioned still being in the FA Cup and you also said there about the first time you’ve really lost your temper. What was that half-time team talk like, one nil down?”
Simon: “Well, basically, after the game I wasn’t happy as well because I’ve been in the game long enough, I know when teams have played well and deserve to get draws etc, results, but today we were miles off it and again.
“We trained so well this week and then all of sudden you go into a matchday and players stop doing what you ask them to do, as in pass a ball forward, defend properly, win second balls, win your challenges, take care of it, get opportunities.
“Probably what sums us up is every time we went up for a ball we give a free kick away, which is again, half-heartedly silly decision making at times.
“So again, I’m not happy with the situation. The supporters won’t be happy, I’m sure of it, let the players know that and then we go again Monday now and ready for the game Tuesday.”
“An unacceptable performance and the players are aware of that.”
Danny spoke with a very honest Simon Grayson after Pools’ 1-1 draw away at Gainsborough Trinity. The gaffer speaks about the performance and what went wrong, last minute absentees and also putting it right in the… pic.twitter.com/vM7V7CDBje
— THE RED (@TheRedUK) October 11, 2025
Interviewer: “You mentioned there just about how you train so well during the week and then when it comes to the game as soon as they cross the line and go on the pitch. How do you use all your experience within coaching, you mentioned your man management skills in the past, how do you turn that from training into the game?”
Simon: “Well again you sort of, you go two ways, you either sort of put an arm around players and say well well done you’re a bit unlucky etc or you give it the other way or you give them a rollicking and now they’ve got to react on Monday morning when we go back in and ready for Tuesday night so, football isn’t complicated and it’s not made complicated by coaches, it’s a desire from the individual to perform to the best of his capabilities.
“The coach once said to me, can never have a bad game without the ball because nobody stops you from running around and being competitive.
“And I’ve always said that if you don’t win your individual battles out on the pitch, you can have hell of a hard time to get anything out of the game and fair play to games where they did exactly what we expected them to do but we didn’t do enough to stop that from happening.”
Interviewer: “And what does the next couple of days look like then?”
Simon: “Because the replay on Tuesday, I believe we find out the first round draw on Monday, play like this on Tuesday night, we won’t be bothered about who we’re drawing on Monday.
“And that’s the bottom line. So we’ll go back, we’ll be off tomorrow and then we’ll address everybody Monday, turn around for us.
“And I’ll put a team out what I think. Well, see what players I’ve got available, but ultimately as well, see what who deserves to be playing and let’s go and get a result from that and then take it from there.”
Here’s how fans reacted as Hartlepool part company with Simon Grayson and appoint an interim replacement…
@NickMcNaughton:
Grayson sacked
Featherstone wins 1 out 4
Appointed manager until about January
Dickman to take over til end of season
New manager appointed in June
Classic Raj season
@Davidjrj123: This approach hasn’t worked the first 20 times so we might as well try again. How does a successful business man consistently employ the wrong person for the job and avoid all accountability each time? This has got to be one of the most disheartening football clubs to follow.
@Mogzy1985: Fan statement – Raj Singh shape up you absolute berk. What’s your excuse this time? Thrown so many people under the bus the suspensions fucked and whole thing is falling apart.
@JackCBCx: Results weren’t good enough, but I don’t see how you can’t give the bloke till at least Christmas. Expecting instant success with the chairman ain’t ever going to happen.
@WinwoodBailey: The managers not failing the board, the board & owner are failing the managers
@Nick_Loughlin_
Hartlepool United Football Club
Appoint new boss ✅
Sign 12 players in pre season ✅
Start the season well ✅
Six games in it starts to tail off ✅
Desperate home form ✅
Make pointless loan signings ✅
Make pointless short term signings ✅
Manager under pressure ✅
Struggle in FA cup preliminary round ✅
Singh sacks manager … ✅
Lennie Lawrence caretaker …
Appoint new boss …
Sign 12 more new players …
Put club up for sale…
@michaelbratt2: Rinse and repeat!! no good sacking managers every couple of months and fans calling for his head are no better either
@JayNich47098520: The cycle continues, appoint an older manager in the summer, sack him a few months in, appoint a young coach which looks like a change of approach, sack him at the end of the season, not giving him a summer and appoint another older manager who’s a bigger name
@miller_jonny: Absolutely pathetic. The “board” constantly get it wrong. How are we going to move forward going through manager after manager. Why not use the money you’ll now be paying Grayson to watch Gateshead to get a player or two in.
@GhostzIsaac: THIS CHANGES NOTHING! Nothing will change until Raj leaves!! Boycott home games, stop giving that low life your money!!!
@JackHUFCC: are we being fucking serious 😂😂😂 yes results haven’t gone our way lately but there’s another victim when the blame should be going up top, stuff you Raj
@mickhartlepool: It’s the board that wants sacking, an absolute embarrassment to our Football club
@Poolyfluff: GET THAT NARCISSIST OUT OF OUR CLUB. A COMPLETE EMBARRASSMENT OF A CHAIRMAN. WHAT A RIDICULOUS DECISION
@durhamchris1983: Was obvious once the cheap appointment of Dickman was announced last week. Genuinely an horrendous appointment (Dickman). Shame for Grayson but that’s football. However Featherstone/Dickman will be absolutely frightening but cheap “yes men” who will do as they’re told.
@pooliemadone84: Jesus Christ we can’t keep sacking managers!!!
@danielwillis19: Just sell the club and get out of town. This is becoming a joke now
@PaMitch78: Absolute shambles of a club – no lessons learned, his replacement will be sacked by mid February. Raj out
@TheDB30: Am I right in saying that under Singh it’s just been Challinor that wasn’t sacked? Every year they recruit what on paper are good players but it never works out no matter who’s in charge. They’re mid table fodder for as long as Raj is there.
@PaulMcSweenie: 1 win in 11 not good enough, but I’m sorry we got a experienced manager in and yet still doesn’t work, where do we go from here? It’s the same merry go round year in and year out. This time I’m am questioning every one of those Hartlepool players. Start off well and fade, Why?
@anthonystevenh7: So another manager is required with “not his players” so now it’s another cycle and clear out and turn over again and again it’s so predictable now every year annual 3 managers a season needs to stop, it’s that prick and his board who are the problem who is gunna wanna come
@MattyGrocott_: Carbon copy of previous seasons. We are going nowhere good and the farce of the managerial roundabout continues. Disgraceful.
@noah_whitton: how many managers is that now since Raj Singh took over OUR club? for the ones who genuinely still support the man and fair enough your entitled to that opinion but I simply don’t understand how. He’s got 1 appointment right in the god knows how many years he’s been here.
@lrookehufc1: Will be his 14th manager in 7 years. Every 6 months a new manager #SinghOut
@therealgsj: Same shit, different day. This club won’t change until the twat at the helm of the club goes. We all need to speak with our pockets and not go until Raj is forced out of the door #RajOut #HUFC
@Jack__Wood: It’s actually getting boring now
@dom_33: Simon Grayson sacked from Pools ! Absolute shit show of a club
