In the 1996–97 season, Hartlepool started the campaign with wins over Colchester United and Fulham, but Houchen's playing career came to an end after the fifth game of the season, against Wigan Athletic, when he retired due to a persistent knee injury.

[3] With Hartlepool on a poor run of results at the foot of the table, he left the club by mutual consent on 4 November 1996.

[4] His assistant Mick Tait led the club to a 20th-place finish, and organised a benefit match for Houchen against Middlesbrough, which raised £23,000.

[5] There was also a change of ownership in 1997, when Harold Hornsey sold the club to an oil company called IOR.

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