Lee Clark resigns as Hartlepool boss after Worthing defeat
Lee Clark has resigned as Hartlepool United head coach with immediate effect after a 3-1 home defeat by Worthing.
The decision followed Saturday's loss at Victoria Park, as reported by BBC Sport. Clark left straight away. No caretaker plan was confirmed in the initial announcement.
Worthing won 3-1 in Hartlepool, according to BBC Sport. It was Hartlepool's third defeat in a row. It was also their sixth defeat in seven matches.
The result left Hartlepool 18th in the National League, the fifth tier of English football, before the afternoon kick-offs. That is the division below the English Football League. For a club that wants to climb back, it is a difficult place to be.
The mood inside the ground turned during the game. Home supporters chanted "You're getting sacked in the morning" around the stadium during the defeat, as reported by the Largs and Millport News. It ended quickly for Clark after that.
He had only taken over in the summer. He arrived after a spell with Rotherham United at the end of last season. His time at Victoria Park, where Hartlepool hosted Worthing for this match, lasted weeks rather than months.
Hartlepool were taken over in January by American businessman Landon Smith. The club have now spent four years in the National League. They are searching for their ninth permanent manager or head coach during that spell outside the Football League.
For fans, this means another fresh start and another familiar search. The names will change. The task stays the same: steady the team, climb the table, and give Victoria Park something to feel together again.
