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Barron calls on his experience

AT this stage of the season in recent years, Hartlepool United have had it all to play for at the top end of the table.

This season, it's all or nothing at the wrong end as Paul Stephenson's side embark on a five-game programme to avoid relegation from League One.

Pool sit fourth from the bottom, one place away from safety ahead of tomorrow's home game with Bristol City and the Easter Monday trip to MK Dons.

Skipper Micky Barron is the only player currently at the club to have been in a relegation fight, when Pool staved off the threat in 1999.

The skipper is ready to call on that experience in the coming days.

"Every game is going to count now. We have a home game on Saturday and three points are vital for us all,'' he said.

"I'm one of the few who have been in this situation before with the club. You can't let everything get on top of you and grind you down.

"You have to go out and prepare as you would for any other game and play your normal game.

"Some lads have been in this situation at other clubs, and it's up to the older players to help the younger lads through it all and tell them to go out, play football and enjoy it.

"You get stronger from it and when you are through it, you realise how much stronger you become from it.''

The big turning point in Pool's last fight against the drop came when Pool thumped rivals Scarborough 3-0 at Victoria Park.

And Barron, who will return to the starting line-up tomorrow after Darren Williams' red card in the midweek defeat at Colchester recalled: "The Scarborough game was a very important one. Whoever lost it was facing relegation from the Football League. For us it was a very enjoyable day.

"We have gone on from there and enjoyed a lot of success since.

"We are desperate to stay in this division - it's a good one to be in. There's some big clubs and big stadiums to play in.

"We've done very well in this league in the last two seasons and we would be very disappointed if we weren't playing in it next season.

"Everyone has worked really hard over the years to get us in this division, so we won't give it up without a massive, massive fight.''

A year ago tomorrow Pool beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 at Victoria Park, which went a long way to securing a play-off spot.

Now it's a different scenario.

"The play-offs are an enjoyable situation because there is a nice prize at the end of it,'' he said. "You can enjoy being in the position where you are pressing for a place in the top six.

"Now the pressure is totally different. You can't really enjoy it. You are focused and determined, but it's a different type of game.

"No-one had expected us to reach the play-offs in the last couple of years. It was a bonus to many. This year there is a bigger prize at stake because it's about staying in a good division and playing a good standard of football next season.

"Staying up will give us a real platform to build on for next season.''

Mark Tinkler will miss tomorrow's game after being struck by a virus, while Joel Porter could be involved if he comes through training unscathed this morning.