Former Carlisle United manager Keith Curle has been sacked by struggling Hartlepool United after just over two months in charge.
The 59-year-old Curle had been handed a contract until 2024 when he was appointed full-time in December following the sacking of previous manager Paul Hartley, who had only lasted three months.
Curle had took interim charge in September and since then Pools won only eight of the 29 games in which Curle and assistant Colin West were in charge.
They lost in stoppage time at home to Newport on Tuesday and that left them only a point above the drop zone but having played four more games than second bpottom Crawley who host Carlisle United on Saturdfay.
In a statement chairman Raj Singh said: “This has been one of the most difficult decisions I’ve had to make at Pools. Keith and Colin in so many ways have improved the football club and our culture.
“They are both consummate professionals and they have genuinely been a pleasure to work with. Unfortunately we have just not seen the required results and I feel we must act now to give the club a chance in the final part of the season.
“Following the transfer window we believe there is a group of players that can secure our place in the league. We will act swiftly and do all that we can to get an immediate and smooth transition in the manager position.”
Hartlepool have already dropped to the National League, spending four years in the fifth tier of English football before returning to the EFL in June 2021 following a play-off victory over Torquay.
When the old re-election system was used in the Football League Hartlepool survived five successive pleas to stay in Division Four – which was a record – 1960 through to 1964.
Workington lost their League status in 1977 after four successive re-election attempts.
