WHEN Micky Barron arrived at Hartlepool United in September 1996 from Middlesbrough, thoughts of finals at the Millennium Stadium couldn't have been further away.

When Pool lost 2-0 to Northampton at Victoria Park in October that year, Barron, on loan from Boro and making his 11th appearance, paired up with Ian McGuckin at centre-half in front of just 1,254 fans.

Now Barron, with 324 Pool appearances, is focused on leading the team out in front of 60,000 fans in Cardiff a week on Sunday.

It's a stark contrast to those dark days when Pool still struggled to shake off the shackles of the Garry Gibson regime.

"This club has improved every year since I've been here, especially so over the last six years,'' he said.

"When I first came here from Middlesbrough we were playing in front of about 1,000 people.

"I don't know what the crowd will be in Cardiff, but it will be massive compared to that!

"But all our success is down to hard work, from people who have been here along the way and everyone at the club now.

"A lot of people can take a lot of credit for what we have achieved.''

He added: "The semi-finals and final are all live on Sky, so it means we will be watched by a hell of a lot of people across the world.

"It's going to be a massive occasion for all our families and the supporters.

"I've never been there before and what a chance to play there. Of course we all want to enjoy the game, but the real way to enjoy it is to win.

"I'm sure both teams will take a big following. We beat them the other week, so we've nothing to fear, but we will respect them."

Only Barron and Chris Westwood have appeared in each of Pool's ten play-off games.

They boast only a single victory from that tally - last Friday's first-leg against Tranmere, with six defeats and three draws.

And, after the tense penalty shoot-out victory at Prenton Park, Barron and his team-mates finally got to celebrate.

"It was a tremendous feeling at Tranmere to be able to celebrate reaching the final,'' he said. "We've had to look at other teams doing it to us on plenty of occasions.

"This time, it's our turn and I can't describe the feeling we had. Fantastic is one word I could use, but it's probably better than that.''

Barron watched the shoot-out from the sidelines on Tuesday, after hobbling off in the second period.

He suffered the same fate in last season's game with Bristol City and, as his team-mates conceded two goals at Prenton Park, thoughts of Ashton Gate returned.

"I went off injured and we conceded two goals so I started blaming myself for it,'' he said. "In extra time we had our best period of the game, but I thought that Micky Nelson and Chris Westwood were fantastic.

"If anything we got stronger as the game went on, especially in the last 30 minutes.

"Martin Scott said that the subs would come on and give us fresh legs and that's exactly what they did in extra time.

"I got a little bit of cramp in my hamstring and it tightened up a bit, but I'm sure it won't keep me out of the final.''

Barron is Pool's longest-serving player. Westwood and Mark Tinkler come next and Barron had words of praise for one of the others on whom Pool's success has been built.

Ritchie Humphreys has not missed a League game since signing for Pool in 2001.

In 2003, his sudden-death play-off penalty at Cheltenham stayed out and Pool had another season in the bottom division.

But on Tuesday, it was Humphreys who exorcised his penalty demons to net the clinching spot-kick and Barron admitted: "I was delighted for Ritchie the other night. If there was one person who I wanted to score the decisive penalty it was Humps.

"Even now, three years on, he still gets some stick from the lads about what happened at Cheltenham.

"No-one can say anything to him now after that. It shows some character to step up in that situation.

"It would have been hard for him if that one had been missed, but he made no mistake.

"It was a fantastic night for him and a fantastic night for the club.''

l Former Pool boss Neale Cooper is among five shortlisted for the manager's job at Gillingham. He has been interviewed at the Priestfield Stadium and an announcement will be made today.

Tickets go on sale

POOL'S 22,500 ticket allocation for Cardiff went on sale yesterday - but Victoria Park staff won't be looking after sales, instead Pool are using an outside agency. A club spokesman said: "In order to provide fans with an efficient system, the Millennium Stadium and the Football League have enabled us to use a recommended ticket agent called See, who will handle all sales.''

Fans can purchase tickets over the phone on a dedicated number 0870 060 1030 or online at www.seetickets.com

A maximum of nine tickets per order can be purchased.

Prices: £50, £42, £34, £26 (adults); £25, £21, £17, £13 (concessions)

Read more about Hartlepool here.