WHEN the situation forces Manchester United to start advertising tickets on national radio, it's time for the rest of football to stand up and take notice.

And that's why Hartlepool United have laid down the gauntlet to their own supporters in a bid to raise the attendances at Victoria Park.

If Pools sell 4,000 season tickets in the next nine weeks, they will only cost £100.

With average attendances at Victoria Park amonsgt the lowest in the Football League – not only in League One, Green and chairman Ken Hodcroft accept the need to try and win back the supporters.

Five seasons ago, Pools' average gate was in excess of 5,000 – this season they have dropped to as low as 2,289 when today's opponents, Charlton, visited in February.

Now, with League One football on offer, they hope for a response to get the gates back to previous levels.

“It's something different a massive initiative to get the fans back in and behind the team – it's a phenomenal offer if we reach the target, which is achievable,'' said chief executive Russ Green.

“It could work out at just over £4 a game. They go on sale Monday, pay £100 to committ yourself and if the target is reached by the cut-off date, you get it for that price.

“We've looked at loads of initiatives throughout football and every club is down on their attendances – even Man United advertise tickets on the radio now, so if they are having to do it then everyone takes note.

“We know over the last few years attendances have dropped dramatically and when you look at the Sunday papers and see that our gates are among the lowest in the country – including League Two – you know we have a problem.

“The lads have done the business on the pitch this year, now it's up to us behind the scenes to do the same.''

Next season will see Pools playing their football out of the bottom rung of the Football League for the fifth successive season – a club record.

And, with owners IOR Ltd proving their long-term commitment to the club since they took over in 1997 and continue to bankroll the financial shortfall, Green and co hope the fans show their appreciation.

“If we can get 5,000 in here for games, and we've done it before, it makes for a fantastic atmosphere – 5,000 in here is like getting 35,000 in to watch Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough,'' he said.

“We played Leyton Orient a couple of years ago and I was talking to Barry Hearn, their chairman before the game. They had given out 50,000 vouchers to householders nearby to attend.

“He came in afterwards and they had 87 people take up the offer – all that trouble and effort for 87 people.

“We need to get kids to get into a routine and get them into coming to the games again. If they stop for the season, they lose track, do other things and now we want to attract them back.''

Midway through the season, Pools introduced an offer to entice people to watch the rack of rearranged midweek games they had.

But, wary of upsetting existing season ticket holders, Pools had to tread carefully.

With the new offer, it's £100 across the board, seating or standing, with £50 for under 19s.

“Football can be such an expensive sport these days, this is our way of winning people back,'' added Green. “It's £100 across the board, we have simplified it all. If a casual fans was to come to five games a season, their season ticket is paid for.

“It's hard not to upset long-term and existing season ticket holders when you introduce offers mid-season, so this is a way of getting everyone on board.

“We looked doing a ticket for the unemployed people in the town, but even those working are suffering from escalating living costs so we are doing something for everyone,'' added Green.

“For a lot of reasons, different to ours, the Premier League has problems. We have problems because of the Premier League and TV, the generic problem is probably live TV. We are at home on a Tuesday night in February and there's probably six Champions League games available on TV.

“On the other side, Man Utd are in everything, every competition going, and it's expensive to go. Some families could be shelling out up to £200 a game, so people are choosing their games at all levels which is understandable.

“Three home games in a week, that's a lot of money. We are making it affordable here, which is the first thing, get the fans in, get the atmosphere going and kick on from there.

“It helps us commercially, because if we are targeting gates of 5,000 then it makes it more attractive to companies and businesses to get involved and use the club as a promotional tool for themselves.''