Raj Singh: Hartlepool United owner and chairman says changes will be made slowly

Hartlepool United owner Raj Singh has appointed ex-player and coach Craig Hignett as director of football

New owner and chairman Raj Singh says making changes at Hartlepool United will be a patient and slow process.

Singh and his consortium, which involves TV presenter Jeff Stelling, were installed as successors to John Blackledge and Sage Investments after exchanging contracts last week.

Pools are seven points clear of the National League relegation places, and have four matches left.

"First and foremost we need to stabilise," Singh told BBC Tees.

"It's been well documented there are things behind the scenes, the staff needs changing, the squad needs changing.

"There's quite a bit of change needed, but we'll take it slowly rather than making loads of changes and it going wrong."

Teesside businessman Singh previously held a similar position at Pools' rivals Darlington between 2009 and 2012, a venture which ended in his stepping down and the club being placed in administration.

He is hopeful that experience, and the finance they have to invest can bring progress to the north east after a steady decline from League One football in 2012-13 to a struggle to stay in the non-league top tier in 2017-18.

"The first thing I said to Jeff and the Supporters Trust when they came to see me was that taking over is the easy bit, it's how you're going to run and where to go from there," Singh continued.

"The plan was get enough money together to see us through the next two or three seasons, and yes if we're progressing and I'm enjoying myself and the fans are happy we could be here for the next 10 years or 15 years.

"There's no set plan, you look at Burton or Bournemouth you see things can be done, but everyone dreams of that so we'll see."