CHRIS Turner is determined to ensure Hartlepool United are not playing catch-up next season.

The Victoria Park boss is desperate for his team to get off to a good start in August after suffering miserable openings to the last three campaigns.

Turner has lined up 11 pre-season games, including a double header in Holland, in an attempt to avoid trailing other Division Three teams once again come November. A slow start last season saw Pool bottom of the table in November before going on a stunning run of form to lift them into the play-offs.

And now Turner is hoping a busy schedule and a settled squad will have his players primed for action on August 10 when the season kicks-off.

"In the past few years we have changed the team around during the summer,'' he said. "After my first season we released a few and last summer we changed again with a lot of players released and a lot coming in.

"Sometimes it takes time to bed in, but this summer there will be very little change - and it will be for the first time since I have been here.

"I am happy with the squad here and with Gordon Watson signing up to stay, what could have been the biggest problem is solved. I know that this squad can play different systems - 3-5-2 or 4-4-2 - to suit - and after what happened in the play-offs with Cheltenham they are very hungry to do well.''

Pool's pre-season preparations include a trip to Holland, where they will stay at the Dutch Football Association's training camp, and play Dutch first division outfits Theole and SV Nootdorp. "We are very fortunate to be staying there,'' said Turner. "It is a superb facility where the Dutch national team stay and train before international games and major tournaments.

"The training pitches are immaculate and there are no diversions or distractions for us - everything will be on the site.

"We will have a good, solid build up this year and the two Dutch sides should provide great opposition for us.''

Read more about Hartlepool here.