Antony Sweeney has said that the players will be completely focused on their tasks when they line-up to face Southend United at Victoria Park tonight (7.45pm kick-off).
The Pools star made his 200th start for the Club at Hereford last weekend - and it was the man currently in charge temporarily at The Vic who handed him his first back in 2002.
"It is certainly familiar to me and Ritchie Humphreys especially because I think we are the only two at the Club who were playing when Chris Turner was Manager last time," he commented.
"But he has been at the Club for two and a half years now so a lot of the players have seen him about the place and spoken to him a lot.
"He's also taken a few sessions over the last few years so we know what he's all about anyway."
Sweeney has admitted that Danny Wilson's departure has come as a shock to the Pools squad but says that it's often the nature of the game that things can change quickly.
"I'd say it was a massive surprise for everyone," he told us.
"Saying that though, we shouldn't really be surprised because these things happen all the time in football.
"As players, we are employed by Hartlepool United and not any one manager. He will be a massive loss to the Club from the players' point of view but we have to keep going and whoever comes in, Chris at the moment, we'll keep doing our best."
Southend United arrive at The Vic just one point and one place above Pools in the League One table and Sweeney says the most important thing now is to pull together and ensure a much-needed victory tonight.
"I think that is it - the three points are the main objective. It doesn't matter what has gone on in the last week, we as a team and as a Club have to get the points. We have to get back on track and try to get in the top half of the table.
"It will be a difficult game - there is not a lot between a lot of teams in the League and the fact that they are mid-table means nothing because we see our league position as a false one as well."
