Former Norwich City defender Michael Nelson has a new role as assistant manager of Hartlepool United just a fortnight after leaving Blyth Spartans.

Nelson will assist new Poolies boss Graeme Lee in a coaching role at the club where he made 283 appearances between the years of 2003/09 before joining the Canaries before their League One triumph.

The 41-year-old entered management with non-league side Blyth in 2020, replacing ex-City assistant boss Lee Clark.

A ninth consecutive defeat against Hereford in November sealed his fate as their disappointing slump continued despite an impressive recruitment drive led by Nelson in the summer.

Nelson signed for Hartlepool as a replacement for Lee back in 2003, but the pair will be working together to turn around their poor run of form after five consecutive defeats in League Two.

City's head of academy goalkeeping Tom Weal has departed the club to join National League side Notts County as first-team goalkeeper coach.

Weal has helped progress a host of highly-rated shot-stoppers at the club including Dan Barden, who became the first academy goalkeeper since Declan Rudd in 2009 to start a game for the first team.

Notts County boss Ian Burchnall is delighted to have been able to add Weal to his backroom staff after he was recommended to him by a staff member currently working at Liverpool.

Norwich have already replaced Weal, with experienced keeper coach Bobby Mimms now in charge of the development of their youngsters.

Speaking about his decision to swap his work with the Canaries' youngsters and move to the National League side, Weal said:

“I’ve had some great times in academy football and have been privileged to work with some brilliant young goalkeepers and backroom staff, including Norwich’s first-team goalkeeper coach Ed Wootten," Weal told Notts County's official channels.

“I know Ian sees his goalkeepers as having a crucial role in the way he wants the team to operate and that really appeals to me – it means I’ll be responsible for coaching a lot of in-possession stuff on top of simply defending the goal, which is great.”

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