Betsy seeking chance to get fans on his side

After ending Pool's 28-game unbeaten home run on Boxing Day, when his two goals secured a 2-1 win for Barnsley, Neale Cooper has long admired the front man.

And the big striker, at home up front or on the right, yesterday signed a one-month loan deal at Victoria Park and is part of Cooper's squad for today's Coca-Cola League One opener at home to Bradford City.

The Pool boss has spent enough time trying to find a front-man to give his side some physical presence. And in Betsy, he hopes he may have found the man.

Signed initially on a two-week trial period, it took Cooper only two training sessions to offer a month-long loan deal.

Pool have everything in place for the 26-year-old - Barnsley's top scorer last season - to sign a longer deal when he becomes match fit.

He recalled: "I scored twice at Hartlepool on Boxing Day and I remember we came up wanting to end the long run they had at home. They had gone something like a year unbeaten at home and we wanted to put a stop to it.

"It would be nice to think people remembered me for the two goals I scored, but I was playing well in the games before then as well.

"But that game was probably our last good one of the season. We were flying up until the Hartlepool game and were in the top three or four."

But Betsy saw the other side of the coin when, in the return game, his weak penalty was saved by Jim Provett.

"It was an entertaining game at Oakwell,'' he said. "Hartlepool went one-up, then we went down to ten men and then took the game to them.

"We got a penalty and it's fair to say it wasn't one of my better ones! But even though Hartlepool went in front, we came back and both teams were going for it.

Betsy has trained but not played in pre-season after new Tykes' boss Paul Hart revamped the squad.

He is likely to be on the bench today and admitted: "It's been a difficult summer and pre-season for me.

"I finished the season with the most assists and was leading scorer, so with a ratio like that after playing 52 games, it has been a little disappointing.

"But the new manager has come in and he wants to bring his own players in - you have to accept that and it happens all the time in football.

"But I have every belief in my own ability and I am a fit person. I've trained hard pre-season but not been involved in any games, so I'm nowhere near match fitness, which is a different level to training.

"I'm here for a month initially, but I want a longer deal.

"I have seen in training how well things are at the club and I want to be part of it.

"It's nice to be wanted by a club and I would like the chance to be part of the success here.''

Betsy would relish the opportunity to turn his temporary stay into a permanent one.

"It's a pleasure to come to a club like Hartlepool, which is on the up and has had success for a number of seasons now," he said.

"One thing I remember about the game at Hartlepool on Boxing Day was the fans - the noise they made was immense and they really got behind them.

"It was one of the best atmosphere's we played in for a long time.

"Even at Hillsbrorough, with 25,000 there, the noise was nothing compared with Hartlepool.

"They had a great run to get in the play-offs last season and the supporters had plenty to cheer about - I hope I can help give them some more.''

And Cooper has already made a swift impression.

"The manager is a bit of a character here - it seems like a happy camp in training and he is very lively.

"To be honest, it's nice to see a manager with a smile on his face, there's nothing worse than seeing someone moping around all week with his face on the floor.''

Read more about Hartlepool here.