RICHARD MONEY hopes having a couple of players in the Hartlepool United dressing room who have worked under him before can be of benefit for all.

Pools take on Havant and Waterlooville this afternoon, with Money in charge of his first home game since being appointed manager last week.

Ryan Donaldson scored the winning goal in the FA Trophy last weekend, and he was one of his key men at Cambridge when he got them back into the Football League from the National League.

He is sure to have a big role to play under Money, while Connor Newton was Newcastle United when Money was head of the Academy.

The manager said: “It helps to have players here who I have worked with before – it’s as important off the pitch and it is on it. Success comes from creating the right environment and that’s something we have to aim for straight away. Having people in the dressing room who have worked with me before and know how I work will help us all.

“Ryan is a good footballer, he did well for me in the past. I wouldn’t want anyone to think my tactics or thought process is built around any individual – we need a way of getting the best out of everyone to have the best effect. Ryan is one of those.

“He can play in different positions, which is good for a manager maybe not for a player. I know what he is about and where he is best on the pitch and I will endeavour to get him in those best areas.’’

Pools today start a spell of five games in 15 days, with Money set to make the most of the chance to see his new players in action before he adds to the squad in January. They will all get a chance to impress before he starts any transfer business.

He added: “There’s a lot of games in short succession, a lot of points to play for. The table can look very different in January, but we have it all to do. You will get this from me every week – there’s no easy games in this league, the name plate doesn’t matter one jot.

“Everything we get we have to work for. They have picked up, on a decent run and have some interesting footballers up top especially so we have to defend the box very well against them.

“Then hopefully we can play some decent stuff and cause them problems the other way.’’

Pools sit in mid-table in the division after their promising start of one defeat in 16 turned into a run of seven successive losses.

Since then, they’ve won at Maidenhead in the National League under stand-in boss Craig Hignett before last weekend’s FA Trophy triumph.

Money added: “We had a good start last week and we are all looking forward to it – a first league game at home and we aim to set a marker down.

“You hope there’s a buzz in the ground, both players and supporters and we get some momentum.

“One or two players are back this week, so the group is bigger and more quality. We had a very good session on Tuesday, intensive and the players have been positive, reacting well.

“How long does it take for a manager to get his ideas over? That’s a difficult one as some clubs get a bounce from a new manager, some not so. That we have a few games in quick succession gives us the chance to have a look at as many of the group as I can and find a way to suit the players.

“The most important thing is to find a way to suit those players – there’s been an inconsistency this year, the evidence shows we haven’t really found a way to suit those players.

“And then once January comes along we can then start to look at improving the squad, but first is about improving them.

“We all want a lift, we all want excitement – my experience is that supporters enjoy winning first and foremost. And I think if we come off on Saturday and I say we played well but got beat, then I don’t think it will carry too much kudos with supporters for too long. We need to win.

“The job of everyone is to entertain and we have to marry to the two up.’’