Paul Hartley felt the move to Hartlepool United was one he could not turn down after leaving his post as Cove Rangers boss.
Hartley’s move from the north-east of Scotland to the north-east of England was confirmed on Friday evening, with the English League Two side succeeding in their prolonged pursuit of the ex-Cove manager.
After initially turning down their approach a fortnight ago, Hartley was eventually persuaded to leave when Pools came back in with an increased offer for his services.
Hartley guided Cove to the League Two and League One titles in three seasons in charge and will now return to full-time football management south of the border.
He told the Hartlepool website: “I’m absolutely delighted to be joining Hartlepool United. We have enjoyed our time at Cove Rangers immensely and are extremely proud of our achievements there but this is an opportunity that myself and Gordon couldn’t turn down. The club has truly incredible support from its fans and there is so much potential for this club to kick on.
“I’ve had a number of meetings with the chairman and board to discuss and shape plans for how we will achieve success moving forward. It was very clear that the club has been transformed behind the scenes in recent years and there is a clear vision to be a well-run organisation, both on and off the field.
“I’m an ambitious manager and I would only move to a club that I believe can provide the platform for building a team that wins. As a manager I want the supporters to know that I am a driven and hard-working person and we will produce a team that as a minimum always works extremely hard and is totally committed.
“There is a lot of recruitment work to be done and we will begin that immediately, working closely with head of recruitment Chris Trotter. Gordon and I are both very excited to be taking the job on at Hartlepool and I would like to thank the chairman and board for giving us this opportunity.
“I would also like to extend my thanks to Cove Rangers chairman, Keith Moorhouse, and the board, for their support during my time at the club and wish them all the very best in the future.”
Hartlepool had sacked previous boss Graeme Lee at the start of May, finishing the season with Michael Nelson in charge.
The former Dundee and Falkirk boss took over at Cove in 2019 upon their promotion to the SPFL and in three seasons, led them to two league titles.
He was named League One manager of the season after guiding Cove to the Championship and the club will now begin the search for a new manager to guide them into the second tier.
Chairman Keith Moorhouse told the Cove website: “This has been on the table for the past couple of weeks and I know Paul was torn between the loyalty he feels towards us and his desire to manage in England.
“The lure of full-time football was also a major factor, and in the end, I think that, and the improved offer from Hartlepool, swung it their way.
“We obviously have a few names in mind, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I hadn’t already drawn up a short-list, but we are open to suggestions, and I’m sure this will be an attractive position to many within the game.
“Whoever takes up the reins, they will get the same backing Paul enjoyed. The journey doesn’t end just because the manager has left. As a club we have realistic ambitions for the next few years, and they will be implemented irrespective of who is running the team.
“We will support the new man just as we have our previous managers, and I remain as confident and positive about the future as I have always been.”