FORMER Saints boss Dave Jones hit back at TV personality and Hartlepool United club President Jeff Stelling - accusing him of “a lack of respect” and talking “rubbish”.

Jones, who parted company with League 2 strugglers Pools last night, had been angered by the comments of the Sky Sports presenter.

Winchester-based Stelling demanded Jones either quit or was sacked after Pools dropped into the relegation zone on Saturday evening.

Stelling pulled no punches on Gillette Soccer Saturday, saying: “It’s not personal Dave, but for God’s sake, for the good of the club go now.

“Walk now. It’s 13 points from 51 this is not your level of football.

“[Finance director] Pam Duxbury, the chairman, Gary Coxall, if he won’t walk then sack him .... do it today.”

Speaking after Saurday's 3-0 loss at Crewe - which dumped Pools in the drop zone with just two games remaining to save their Football League lives - Jones was determined to fight on and was unhappy with Stelling’s outburst.

“It’s OK Jeff Stelling saying it in his comfy chair. He doesn’t know.

“In fact it’s a lack of respect for me. Why should he say that?

“But I’m not listening to people like that, sitting there and judging people. He’s not aware of what’s going on.”

Jones, who was only appointed Pools boss in January of this year, added that he felt the 62-year-old TV star was abusing his position by passing comment and instead should have been supporting him.

Four times he mentioned the expression “lack of respect” as he came fighting back in what he says is the most difficult situation in his managerial career.

“Don’t forget I’m putting my neck on the line here,” said the man who was in charge of Saints between June 1997 and January 2000.

“It’s my reputation, don’t say I don’t care, I do care – a lot.

“You get the stupid comments that ‘you’ve got no passion’ and all this crap that goes with it. That’s rubbish, that’s not right.

“Then you get people like Jeff Stelling passing comments like that because he’s on national TV. “So he’s right? No he’s not. He’s no right to say it.

“I never criticise him when he makes a mistake or whatever.“He’s such a big hero, but I’ll go up against him.

“Does he say it about anyone else? Wenger? It’s not his job, his job is to report.

“He hasn’t phoned me – a few weeks ago he’s sat in my office crowing about us going five games without losing, how we’ve changed it around.

“What’s changed? I haven’t changed or has he forgotten that?

“I’m fighting for my life, how about a bit of support Jeff, rather than the rubbish you are giving out?”