FORMER Hartlepool United midfielder Tommy Miller has his perfect weekend already mapped out.

Now with Ipswich, Miller would love nothing more than to make it a double celebration at the Millennium Stadium come the end of May.

Avoiding defeat today is likely to be enough for both sides to secure a play-off spot - Pool will finish sixth if they draw at Swindon.

And then Miller, who is on the verge of international honours with Scotland, knows the outcome he would prefer.

"It could be a dream weekend - I would love us to get in the final and then Hartlepool the next day,'' he admitted.

"Imagine if Pools won as well - then they would be in the first division, playing Leeds and the like! We might even be playing each other yet, in a way I hope so.

"It would be nice to come back and play; when I left I always said I would return one day to play, so you never know.''

A place in Division One is a real possibly for Neale Cooper's side. Eddie Gray's troubled side and Wolves could be visiting Victoria Park next season but, for Pool, it all hinges on today's results.

Pool could have secured a place in the top six if they had avoided defeat at home to Plymouth last Saturday.

Instead, in front of the watching Miller, they lost 3-1 to the Division Two champions.

But the Shotton-born midfielder, who moved to Portman Road for £750,000 in 2001, admitted: "It was great to be back. The last time I was there for a game was just after I moved to Ipswich, at the start of the 2001 season, when Pool played Mansfield.

"I had a great reception then and I was touched to get the same last Saturday - the supporters at Hartlepool mean a lot to me and I really appreciate it all.

"It's always good to see a few familiar faces and old friends.''

He added: "To go back with Pools in a position like they are is frightening, unbelievable really. Neale Cooper has done an outstanding job and deserves all the praise he gets.

"It was a shock when he got the job, I suppose a lot of the fans will have been asking 'Neale who?' at the time, but he's well thought of now and has been an excellent appointment.

"I was at Colchester when they won earlier in the season and it wasn't the best of games to be honest, but if they can win games away from home like that, it's not a bad thing.

"The away form and record is excellent. Every week I look for the result in the dressing room straight after our game. I'm always asking Tony Mowbray when he comes in what the score is.

"I am proud to have played my part in the club's success. It was a few years ago, but we had the makings of a good team then.

"It's brilliant to see how far they have come on over the last few years, it's hard to take it all in really.''

Miller was awarded the Ipswich player of the year award by the Cork branch of the club's supporters association.

And it's a Pool player who has been recognised for his efforts in the last week who Miller is overjoyed for.

Adam Boyd has netted 11 times in just nine games in recent weeks and was this week crowned Umbro Isotonic Division Two player of the month and the leading scorer in the Nationwide Leagues for April.

Miller said: "Boydy has been brilliant the last few weeks, he's been grabbing all the headlines.

"He was a young lad coming through when I was here and had all the ability in the world, he really did have everything.

"Maybe he lost his way a little bit, but now he's back and can go really far.

"Tony Sweeney is another who has come through the ranks and was around during my time. It's good to see him playing.''