Craig Hignett: Hartlepool director of football replaces Richard Money as manager

Craig Hignett made his name as a player with Crewe, Middlesbrough, Barnsley and Blackburn Rovers

Hartlepool have redeployed manager Richard Money into "a senior role" barely a month after taking charge and brought back former boss Craig Hignett to take charge of the first team.

Pools, 15th in the table, have won just once in six National League games since Money, 63, arrived on 11 December.

Hignett, 49, was Pools boss from February 2016 until January 2017 and then became director of football.

"This is in the best interests of the club," said Pools CEO Mark Maguire.

A club statement said Money will now "oversee football matters strategically".

"Richard Money joined us because we felt he had the experience and skill set to help restructure the club effectively," Maguire added.

"There will always be a challenge in balancing the short-term need for results and working towards a long-term strategy.

"What has become clear in our regular communications is that the task in terms of rebuilding the football department and its structure will be all consuming.

"The club faces a unique set of challenges in the coming months with the need to build a squad capable of promotion back to the EFL as well as introducing structures and disciplines which have been absent from the club for far too long."

The former Football League club also intend to reinvent their youth department, at a time when they are still in their last year of EFL funding.

Maguire took over as chief executive at Pools in the summer, following his departure in April from relegated fan-owned National League club Chester, where it was decided to dispense with the role of CEO.