NEW-BOY Jack Ross is in line for an extended run in the Hartlepool United side after skipper Micky Barron was ruled out for up to two months.

Barron missed ten games last season and had a hernia operation over the summer.

But surgery has failed to cure the problem and Barron has been forced to sit out the club's six pre-season games to date.

A visit to see a specialist in Manchester this week diagnosed a long-standing problem and Barron will go under the knife early next week.

Ross is in line to play at Carlisle today, when Neale Cooper will field what is likely to be his first-choice team, a week before the League One opener with Bradford.

The former Clyde skipper is Pool's only summer signing and the Pool boss, with chairman Ken Hodcroft now back from holiday, will be hoping to add at least two more new faces in the coming seven days.

Darren Craddock replaced Barron last season, but Cooper is ready to go with long-term target Ross, who led Clyde to the verge of promotion to the Scottish Premier League last season.

Pool will today face two of the players who helped them to promotion last year.

Kevin Henderson and Paul Arnison were part of Pool's promotion outfit but moved to Carlisle as Cooper revamped his squad last season.

Henderson was told recently that he could have the final 12 months of his Carlisle contract paid up. But the striker, who has hit six goals in five pre-season appearances, wants to stay and fight for a first-team place.

"I was earmarked as one of the players who might leave as I received good money to do very little last season," said Henderson, who made just five starts because of an ankle injury.

"I want to play on for Carlisle as I owe the fans and the club so much after the disappointments of the last campaign.

"I didn't want the opportunity to make a positive impression taken away from me.''

Henderson added: "I can't wait for this game and I hope I get a chance to play. I'd like to show them what they are missing. It's an opportunity for me to prove my qualities.''

Arnison still lives in Hartlepool and was quick to praise his former club.

"They are a very organised outfit these days and they were unlucky not to reach the play-off final last season," said Arnison.

"Plenty of people thought they would struggle in Division Two but they comfortably held their own and it will be a good test for us.

"I still keep in touch with a few of the lads and I'm likely to be marking Ritchie Humphreys, who is a colourful character with plenty of ability. "He has played at the top level and he is very clever on the ball."

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