Pitchero Non League

Hartlepool-born Constantine is a popular and well-known figure in the non-League circuit having managed several teams in his thirty-six-year managerial career, including Billingham Town, Easington Colliery and a six-year spell at Sunderland Nissan.

Constantine, who has brought in Paul Pringle and his son Jonathan to assist him at the Wiltshire Way-based outfit, has been out of the game for the past two years but is eager to get started once more and is desperate to elevate the club to the STL Northern League.

“I’ve been out of football for the past two years,” said Constantine. “I’ve had a good rest and have recharged my batteries.

“Hartlepool should have its own Northern League side.

“I want to be part of the challenge that helps gets Hartlepool into the Northern League.

“I’m hoping we can do that in a couple of years and continue to build the club.

“Everything is in place at the club.

“To take a Hartlepool club to the Northern League would be fantastic. I will be the happiest man in the world when we get there.”

Former Pool boss Chris Lax, who guided the team to twelfth last season, has already made an immediate return to football as assistant-manager at Stokesley SC and Constantine revealed that he turned other clubs down to return to his home town.

He said: “I could have been going to clubs but they weren’t as exciting.

“Hartlepool is exciting – this is the job for me.”