Wilson waits on news of his future

May 3 2008 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

DANNY Wilson says he will have to wait until next week to find out if today’s League One game at Walsall will be his last in charge of Hartlepool United.

Speculation swept the town after comments made by chairman Ken Hodcroft in last week’s programme that “corrections must be made at the end of the season”.

Many supporters interpreted that as meaning Wilson’s two-year rein will end but, if so, the man himself has not been told.

“There will always be speculation, but only the chairman can answer that,” said Wilson. “We will just have to wait until next week.”

Wilson’s job is under threat because of a season in which he raised the possibility of a title success but delivered only mid-table mediocrity.

Lose today and Pool will end their campaign with four straight defeats.

The highest they can finish the season is 15th, though if results go against them it could be as low as 18th. Nevertheless, Wilson believes his pre-season promise of a promotion campaign could have been realised with a more consistency.

“It’s okay being caught up in the relegation fight but, as much as it is exciting, if you get sucked in it can be a real downer,” he said. “We’re only a couple of wins away from being involved at the other end and that’s what has frustrated us.

“Throughout the season there’s been incidents that have cost us momentum. You look at our position in the table and I suppose it’s right what people say that you deserve to be where you are. But with a couple more wins, we could have possibly finished eighth, ninth or 10th.

“I presume people will say finishing 15th is not a good season. But I am quite realistic in how our approach has got to be and it will be the same on Saturday.”

Michael Mackay is set to partner James Brown in attack with top-scorers Joel Porter (knee) and Richard Barker (hamstring) out through injury.

Injury-prone Porter picked up his latest injury in last week’s 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest and could be another of the summer “corrections”.