COLIN WEST will be unveiled as Chris Turner's successor at Hartlepool United in the next 48 hours.

West, who was Turner's right-hand man before the latter left to take over at Sheffield Wednesday last week, is also expected to draft in close friend John Cornforth as his No 2.

The pair played together at Sunderland and now they are hoping to turn their friendship into a successful working relationship at Victoria Park.

West, who will receive a welcome birthday present as he turns 40 today, has been in temporary charge of Pool since Turner's departure and it was thought the former would also make the move to Hillsborough.

However, West was offered the managerial post at Pool yesterday and it is understood he has moved quickly to ask Cornforth to become his assistant.

Pool chairman Ked Hodcroft is known to have been impressed with the way the caretaker boss took control after Turner's departure. The Third Division table-toppers maintained their four-point lead at the top of the League with a hard-earned 2-1 victory over Exeter City on Saturday.

And now Mr Hodcroft, who had a number of other options available including Peter Beardsley, has acted quickly to ensure West remained at Pool.

Privately, West has been hoping to be offered the managerial job at Victoria Park, but he was keeping his options open and always knew that Turner wanted to team up with him again at First Division strugglers Wednesday.

But the chance to cut his teeth in management for the first time has proved a too appetising carrot to turn down for West.

The ex-West Brom, Watford and Rangers man has worked alongside Turner over the past three seasons when Pool have just missed out on promotion - failing three times in the play-offs.

But West knows that with the current crop of Pool players - they are widely regarded as the finest squad ever formed at the club - promotion to the Second Division as champions is a real possibility.

The fact that Hodcroft, meanwhile, has opted to hand West the job will also please the players.

Only this week star striker Gordon Watson voiced his concerns over employing an outsider, when he said: "My view is plain and simple. This bus drives itself.

"There's nothing that needs fixing. If someone comes in and tries to change things he will be hit with the biggest blue and white wall of defiance that anyone has ever seen."

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