Former Portsmouth, Leeds United and Barnsley man lands new management job

Former Pompey defender Carl Dickinson has landed himself a new role in management with a National League club.

The 37-year-old has joined the coaching staff at Hartlepool United and will work as assistant manager to Darren Sarll. It is the second time they have worked together after Sarll managed Dickinson at Yeovil Town.

Dickinson most recently had been playing for Congleton Tow in the Midland League Premier Division and won a League and League Cup double. He has already dipped his toes into management having been in charge of Hanley Town, winning the same division as he did as a player but stood down the following season. He has also worked in the academy of one of his former clubs Stoke City.

After landing Dickinson, Sarll told the Pools club website: “I’m delighted that we have secured and retained our targeted staff well in advance of pre-season starting.

"It gives us an organised backdrop both in terms of recruitment and season planning.

“Carl will be a fantastic addition to the club. He has experience from the very top of the game to call upon and represents skillsets with coaching but also strength and conditioning, which is a point that I am keen to address – we have to better meet the physical demands to be successful in this league.

“Overall we have an excellent complement of staff both new and retained, which is comparable with most EFL clubs."

Dickinson had two separate spells as a player at Fratton Park. He joined in the 2010/11 season from Stoke City on loan and made 39 appearances, playing under Steve Cotterill as the club finished 16th in the Championship.

The left-back joined Watford in the summer of 2011 and after a year at Vicarage Road, he was loaned again to Pompey, this time when Michael Appleton was in charge, but his loan was cut short when Guy Whittingham took charge. In total he appeared 44 times across two loan spells.

He went on to play for Coventry City, Port Vale, Notts County and Yeovil Town in the Football League, before spells in the non-league with Hanley Town, Stratford Town, Nantwich Town, Eccleshall and most recently Congleton Town. The highlight of his career being winning promotion to the Premier League wtih Stoke City in 2008 and playing five times in the top flight of English football.