Lee Clark resigns as Hartlepool manager mid-interview after fans demand his exit

Lee Clark resigned as Hartlepool United manager with immediate effect during a post-match interview on Saturday, announcing his decision to quit live on BBC Radio Tees moments after a home defeat to Worthing left the club 19th in non-league football.

“I resign from my position with immediate effect,” Clark told BBC Radio Tees. “I wanted to give this club and the fans something to be proud of, what they deserve, but I haven’t been able to do that unfortunately.”

Hartlepool had lost six of their last seven games heading into the Worthing fixture, and supporters inside Victoria Park had already been calling for Clark’s departure before the final whistle. The former Newcastle and Fulham midfielder had only taken charge in the summer, following a brief stint at Rotherham last season.

“I was excited to take the job and I wanted to be the man to get them back to where they need to be and deserve to be, but it hasn’t worked out,” Clark added.

The departure leaves Hartlepool searching for their ninth permanent manager since dropping out of the Football League four years ago — a period of extraordinary instability in which no manager has taken charge of more than 34 games since 2024. Former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips lasted just 16 matches, while ex-Leeds United boss Simon Grayson managed only 15.

The club was taken over in January by American businessman Landon Smith, with ambitions of returning to the EFL. Clark’s exit is a significant setback to those plans.

It is a stark contrast to the high point of Clark’s managerial career, when he guided Huddersfield Town to a record 43 consecutive league games without defeat in League One — surpassing the long-standing record held by Nottingham Forest across an 11-month run. He has since managed Birmingham City, Blackpool, and Kilmarnock, as well as spending time in the Middle East.

As a player, Clark made 240 appearances for Newcastle United during the 1990s before moving to Fulham via Sunderland. He scored in a 3-1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford — Fulham’s first victory there in 39 years.