Kevin Phillips accuses Hartlepool of pulling contract offer as he speaks on his departure

Kevin Phillips accuses Hartlepool United of pulling their contract offer as he speaks out on his departure from the National League club.

He had only been in the role for three months, but in that time he guided them away from the drop zone and guided the club to safety.

Phillips was brought when Pools had been on a run of one win in seven games which put Hartlepool at serious risk, but he managed a five-game unbeaten run following his appointment with four wins and a draw.

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It didn’t all go his way however, not helped with a 7-1 defeat to local rivals Gateshead in March which he described to be one of the worst days of his life.

But his side came back from that with victories over Halifax and Aldershot which confirmed their safety, climbing up from 16th when appointed on a short-term deal to 12th place in the table after seven wins in 16 games in charge.

Hartlepool said on Friday that he left his post at the end of his contract, with fans concerned and baffled before the club quickly appointed Darren Sarll.

Jeff Stelling said the news left him ‘depressed’ and that his ‘summer was ruined’.

He wrote on Twitter: “I think we need to hear what has happened – KP may have got a blinding offer from another club.

“I know none of us think that is the case but I guess we have to wait to hear. Depressed regardless!

 “KP has been a breath of fresh air at our football club. I am gutted. Summer ruined.”

Stelling on the appointment of Sarll: “So now we know. Not KP decision to leave at all. I am lost for words.”

He also said: “I feel like the bloke in ‘Love Actually’ who walks away from Keira Knightley saying ‘enough, enough now’.”

Hartlepool chairman Raj Singh said in a statement: “Kevin has done a good job this season since coming in as head coach and he’s been great to work with. His remit upon appointment was firstly to make sure that the club retained its current league status and then from there to start looking up towards play-off positions.

“We had a difficult backdrop and precarious league position when the previous manager departed. We believed that Kevin was the right appointment to navigate through things and in the end he has helped comfortably ensure that the club stay away from any relegation concerns, which at one point were lingering.”

Phillips has since said in a statement released on his behalf: “Just over a fortnight ago, Kevin was officially offered a new contract by the club prior to the end of the season after the option terms of his initial contract term were met as a result of the agreed milestones being achieved during his tenure.

“Kevin was looking forward to continuing his stay at Hartlepool and the challenges that lay ahead.

“He was offered a new two-year contract, double the length initially outlined in the original agreement, with the club owner adding the further year in order to reinforce his intention to back the head coach and that this should be reflected in the contract term.

It was only last week that Kevin planned to meet with players for their individual end of season reviews, but another hastily arranged meeting with the owner instead took place with two newly appointed directors called on the Thursday.

“During this meeting, Kevin was surprised to learn that the contract option had been withdrawn and that he was being relieved of his duties as head coach with immediate effect.”

Phillips said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed working at Hartlepool United and with all the existing staff there.

“The club has terrific support and an established fan base to be proud of, which always made matchdays a pleasure.

“I had wished to continue the journey with everyone and build a successful team together.

“I leave with fond memories and shall continue to follow the club’s progress, hoping they can enjoy every success in the future.”

On the decision to hire Sarll, club director Andy Steel said it was his experience at National League level, that helped make their decision to appoint.

Steel added: “He [Sarll] presented a very clear and compelling view of how he wants to build the squad, deliver a positive style of football that statistically supports success in this league and create a winning mentality and culture.”

Sarll said: “I’m really excited to get started – the opportunity and challenge at the club is one I’m very much looking forward to.

“I’m coming here in order to win and we need to close that gap to the play-offs. We won’t accept mediocrity, we need to challenge every season and that all starts from the dressing room.

“I can’t wait to start, creating a strong dressing room is the priority ahead of this pre-season.

“Over the years I have managed visiting teams at the Suit Direct Stadium and I am fully aware of the amazing passion the fans have for the club.

“The intensity they bring gives us a huge advantage and we must capitalise on this community’s passion. I really want to create some lasting memories and be part of what is already an illustrious history. Supporters being proud of their town and team means everything to me.”

This is how fans reacted as Kevin Phillips accuses Hartlepool of pulling their contract offer as he speaks on his departure…

@paulmetz: @Official_HUFC Disgusting in your treatment of #kevinphillips If anyone should leave the club it’s the Chairman! Unbelievable Jeff @JeffStelling . Glad Kev revealed the truth !

@FTM1042: I have the upmost love & ultimate respect for super Kevin Phillips and the way he has been treated by the board of directors at Hartlepool United has been absolutely disgraceful quite frankly disgusting to be honest with you. The objective in my opinion when Phillips was appointed as the new Hartlepool manager was to keep Hartlepool in the league and he did just that and the fans had full faith & belief in Kevin Phillips for next season if he was giving the funds to add more quality into the team but to then withdraw the contract sums up the kind of man Raj Singh is and I’m sorry to say this but Hartlepool will never progress or move forward with Raj Singh in charge of Hartlepool United. I follow all my local clubs south shields, Gateshead, hebburn and Hartlepool United and the way Hartlepool has been ran has being nothing short of a disaster. I feel for Kevin Phillips but hopefully he can bounce back and get another job sooner rather than later Because Kevin bleeds football and you can see the passion he has for football management so on a personal level I wish super kev the very best of luck for future.

@DannyevansDanny: WOW is all that comes to mind

@richyhpool: Shocking way to treat someone. Why do they always get it wrong 😔

@stucath70: That’s a disgusting way to treat someone that gave his all to the club. No-one deserves to be treated like that. I’m ashamed to be a Poolie at the moment.

@PhillyDunn: The Board 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

@1908pools: Strange how Sarll hints he’s been watching us for a few weeks

@paul_parkinson: @Official_HUFC I’m actually disgusted being a fan of this shower at this moment in time. All the very best KP. I would have loved to see what you’d have done given time and resources. 😒😒😒🤬

@NeilFromNorge: Dirty Deeds as penny pinching by Raj strikes again.

@RockingMagpie: This is particularly odd … even by Hartlepool standards!

@shaunpp29: Classic Pools 🤯

@garthwd; Totally baffling

@daft_lad_: The board you mean Rajy

@Shakyshakes1980: The club is so chaotic it’s embarrassing.

@thompa1967: Disgraceful way to treat someone.

@MakenzieSteve15: This is a joke keven Philips did well to keep a poor pools team up before he came we couldn’t get a win from anywere season ends gets offered a two year contract then takes it off the table what a shambles this club is good luck Kev on your next venture you deserve better

@Dannytempz7: Raj Singh for you. Shocking way to treat someone. The club is a laughing stock, little wonder nobody of any quality wants to join. Well done mr chairman, top work again #RAJOUT

@ShawSimonshaw01: Clubs an absolute circus

@HUFC_Charlie: Disgusting behaviour from the board

@blakeydfc: @JeffStelling your man Raj

@MatthewSH96: Disgusting way to treat someone this!

@HoughtonQuaker: Funny as fuck 🤣

@klumprigholprig: Bloody hell. You really need that awful man out of your club

@poolsla: Classy from Kev Phillips… Shabby and Embarrassing from @Official_HUFC 🙈🙈

@HUFC_NWC: Our owner is giving our great club an horrendous name. He is becoming a joke and his decisions concerning matters on and off the pitch are slowly killing us

@ARae61: If this is true and I have no reason to doubt it isn’t, this is a further massive own goal and self inflicted reputational damage by @Official_HUFC How does the club expect fans to get behind it when you treat people like this.

@GoodLaughTerry: No offence to Sarll and I wish him all the best but this absolutely stinks. We’ll see what happens in August and I’ll be more than happy to eat my words but I believe Kev could have built something. The way he’s been treated is despicable. Board of clowns. #HUFC

@jordrich97: Kevin Phillips leaves with his head held high and will go on to have a fruitful career in management meanwhile Pools will continue to dwindle into the depths of despair under the current regime.

@ThorntonCraig: Raj Singh is a cunt

@ltreidy67: Lead him on, offer him an improved deal and then bin him off without warning. Smooth as ever Raj.

@andrew14ad: Now we can see why @JeffStelling Was so mad at his own club beyond parody #HUFC

@JSomersetActor: Starting to feel sorry for @Official_HUFC fans and how terribly their club is being run. It feels awfully familiar.

@manofstealth: I am, not for the first time, faintly embarrassed by the actions of @Official_HUFC. This is a lousy, craven way to do business.

@JPGarvin1994: Disgusting and awful way to conduct business as a ‘professional’ club. But then again under raj nothing is a surprise. Raj out

@RHUFCR: 20+ years as a season ticket holder. I’ve known nothing like this in all my time. I just can’t be arsed with this football club anymore. What’s the point.

@Davidjrj123: Offered a two year contract only to be completely binned two weeks later? Stinks.

@JWheelhouse_01: Absolutely disgusting from the club. The saddest bit about it all is the fact that it genuinely doesn’t surprise you does it…

@MarkHufc: Clubs ran by fucking idiots.

@1908pools: Absolute cunt behaviour

@AndyClarke5: Another Raj classic 😅

@anthonystevenh7: All the best to Kevin Phillips deserves better , raj Singh is piece of 💩 and karma will catch up with this prick eventually absolutely embarrassed by @Official_HUFC

@durhamchris1983: This is very poor @Official_HUFC

@JCoops190879: It’s an absolute circus. Raj out.

@Forbesie10: Safe to say – Kevin Phillips has been well and truly screwed over by Raj big time

@CJJ1995_: Disgusting way to treat him to be fair but it doesn’t even surprise me as Raj is a disgusting man.

@gregdunning20: Anyone who backs Raj after this needs their head looking at 🤡

@Jackomckie15: Piss poor from the club yet again! 🙈🤣