His tenure there led to four individual spells as caretaker manager, between 2019 and 2022, whilst emerging as an ever-present in the senior coaching staff.

[3] However, despite his potential Sweeney found it difficult to establish himself as permanent fixture in the team and spent the majority of the following two seasons in the reserves.

[6] He received his first red card against Milton Keynes Dons after a tussle with Izale McLeod but he more than made up for it when he scored his first hat-trick against Chesterfield in his next appearance.

[citation needed] Sweeney would start in the 2005 Football League One play-off final as Hartlepool were defeated in extra-time to Sheffield Wednesday.

Sweeney made one appearance for Gateshead, as a substitute in a 0–1 defeat at Forest Green Rovers before leaving to join previous club Hartlepool United as a coach.

After retiring from professional football in September 2016, Sweeney took up a full-time role at Hartlepool as youth development coach.

[14] In January 2019, Sweeney began coaching Hartlepool's first team as a part of Craig Hignett's backroom staff.

Sweeney returned to his previous role as first team coach when Dave Challinor was appointed Pools manager in November 2019.

Sweeney was appointed interim manager after Dave Challinor left the club to join Stockport County in November 2021.

It has given me enormous pride and pleasure to represent Hartlepool United as both a player and as a coach, and I leave with some incredible memories on and off the pitch.