New Hartlepool United boss Darren Sarll hails the unique support in the North East

Despite having spent most of his professional life down south, managing Stevenage, Yeovil and Woking and working in the academies of Brentford and Watford, the new manager has a connection to the area through his wife, who is from Newcastle.

Sarll has plenty of experience of what it feels like to be an opponent visiting the Suit Direct Stadium - in fact, his first ever win in management came when Stevenage beat Pools in 2016 - and so he knows how difficult and hostile it can be.

Despite some grumblings following the decision to raise season ticket prices ahead of the upcoming campaign, Sarll can expect to be backed by one of the biggest, loudest and best set of supporters in the league next season.

And the 41-year-old is hoping to channel the energy from the terraces and use it to his side's advantage as Pools look to challenge for promotion.

"My second game in management - my first win in senior management - was here," he said.

"I always thought that, whenever I came here, the support is different.

"There's a real anticipation in our stands.

"I probably felt the negative version of that anticipation, being an opponent.

"I like that - as an opponent, you shouldn't want to come to an away ground, you shouldn't want to have a nice time, you shouldn't want to have it easy.

"When you add the numerical advantage we have here, the sheer amount of fans, these can be great places and they can really get moving.

"Having been beaten here, when the place is starting to move, you're always thinking to yourself 'I'd love to manage a club like that'.

"These things, these opportunities, come around very rarely, and I didn't want to pass this one up."