Remember August 1996? On the back of England's Euro 96 display, the nation was football crazy, football mad in fact.

And no sooner had the new season kicked off than the nation had a potential new hero as Ritchie Humphreys arrived on the scene with a bang, crashing three spectacular goals in four headline-grabbing appearances for Sheffield Wednesday.

But in a further 63 games at Hillsborough, he was on the scoresheet only one more time as he found himself shunted around the field to accommodate the costly foreign imports who were eventually to become Wednesday's downfall.

He was the teenage prodigy hailed as the next best thing by none other than World European Footballer of the Year Marco van Basten.

That millstone hung around his neck as his career started to pass him by.

A phone call from Chris Turner got his career back on track and seven years on, Humphreys has never played better than now.

His scintillating form was rewarded this week with Hartlepool United's Player-of-the-Year award.

And next weekend he should receive further recognition when the PFA Team of the Year is announced. Is there a better attacking midfielder in the Third Division?

There certainly isn't at Victoria Park and Humphreys admitted: "This is the first player-of-the-year award I've won and I'm very proud to get it.

"I won a goal-of-the-season award a few years back, it was a chip I scored on Sky for Sheffield Wednesday, which I think was highlighted because it was one of my first games as a professional and it was live on TV as well.

"The Van Basten thing was highlighted so much. It was pre-season and we played Utrecht in Holland and he was there. I was a young player and he was asked about me.

"He said something to the press, I'm sure he said a lot of other things to them on the day, and they made something of it.

"That has stuck with me for a long time and it was just one of those things. I know what will have happened. It was their open day, we played them in a friendly and I scored the winning goal.

"So I'm sure it was a case of the press asking 'What about the No 9? What do you make of him?' I'm certain he said something like 'he looks a good player' and that was turned into 'he's going to be a world beater'!

"And because I was playing at a big club, everything was blown up out of proportion.''

There is a danger that this season could be out of proportion in Hartlepool United's history.

For 95 years there's been no need for a trophy cabinet. And now chairman Ken Hodcroft might have to shell out for one to hold the Division Three championship.

Pool go to Scunthorpe this afternoon knowing a point will secure promotion. They go to second-placed Rushden in a fortnight knowing... well?

"I couldn't be happier now with the way things have gone this season, especially with how last season finished,'' he admitted. "But we focused from pre-season, knowing what our goals were and our aims.

"I wanted to be promoted last year, that's when we all felt we should have gone up. But it didn't happen and it's no good moping around is it?''

Humphreys could easily have spent the summer months thinking and reflecting on what might have been.

Lesser players and lesser characters may have buckled after suffering the penalty shoot-out agony Humphreys went through last season.

But instead, he returned with a goal on the opening day of the season and has never looked back.

The tears of pain at Whaddon Road may be replaced by tears of joy next month.

"I wasn't going round all summer thinking our season had rested and depended on my one kick. It may look like that, but right from the start of pre-season we knew it was our promotion push.

"We all came back for pre-season knowing that we had failed in the play-offs for the last three years and that we had played in the Third Division for long enough.''

"We have quality in the squad and we should be playing at a higher level.

"We came back last summer early and yes, it has been a long season, but that was part of our programme. We didn't work too hard in the first couple of weeks, and our fitness has been monitored all year, so we know how we have been physically. Now we have four more games for one last push.''

Humphreys has never been a prolific scorer, his early run at Hillsborough apart, and has netted more goals this memorable season than ever.

He admitted: "Swansea was the highlight for me, getting a hat-trick like that, and scoring ten goals is great for me as a midfielder - all in all I'm so happy to play in this team.

"It's my second full season here. I came to the club to play regular football and I couldn't be happier with the way it's gone.

"I made my debut for Wednesday when I was 17 and I started playing regularly when I was 18, then had a couple of years as sub - I made an early start in the game.

"But I've probably enjoyed it more in the last couple of years. It's been brilliant for me, starting a lot of games and being part of a successful squad and a club which is going in the right direction.''

During his years out of the limelight Humphreys had a spell on loan at Glanford Park. A return there today could signal one of his happiest times.

"This is a massive weekend for us all, with all the games that are going on,'' he added. "All we can do is win our games and then we will know what the last run-in is going to be like for us.

"We've got two home games to come and our home form is very good.

"Of course there is Rushden away as well, but if you were asked at the start of the season if we would only need a point from four games to win promotion, everyone would have said they wanted it.

"Promotion is our main aim, that was the goal at the start of the season. Let's get that out of the way at Scunthorpe and then let's see.

"We all want to win the title but if someone had offered us promotion last summer we would have gladly taken it. Of course everyone here wants to win the league, because it's not very often you get the chance to win something.

"A lot of the lads here have never won anything before and might never get a chance like this again. Obviously the management have won things as players and they know what it is all about, so hopefully they can help us in that sense as well."

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