Former Celtic midfielder Paul Hartley has been appointed Hartlepool manager, leaving Cove Rangers. Hartley, 45, had guided the Aberdeenshire outfit to the SPFL Championship but has decided to progress his managerial career elsewhere taking over at the EFL League Two club.

Hartley has had spells as manager with Alloa, Dundee and Falkirk but had been linked with a number of vacancies after impressing with Cove. It appeared as if Hartlepool had failed in their pursuit of Hartley but the Hartlepool Chairman Raj Singh promised significant financial backing for Hartley.

Cove Rangers can today confirm that first team manager Paul Hartley will be leaving the club to join Hartlepool United.

Full statement below 👇

— Cove Rangers FC (@CoveRangersFC) June 3, 2022

Hartley signed for Celtic for £1m from Hearts in 2007 and won two Premiership titles, one League Cup and one Scottish Cup during his time with his boyhood club. The player would give a dogged determination to the midfield under Gordon Strachan and would help win the title under dramatic circumstances in 2007/08. In his time at the club, he scored 4 goals in 86 appearances.