WITH a new contract in the bag, and his future secured, Antony Sweeney is looking forward to further developing his game next season.

His 14 goals earned Hartlepool United's player of the year award and, despite interest from other club, the midfielder is more than happy to stick with the club.

It's nine years in August since he made his first start for Pools - in the opening day win at Carlisle United in the 2002/3 season.

Over 300 games later, he admitted: "I think you are getting towards your peak when you are 27. I think you should be.

"Everything I've read and what people have told me, you maybe get to your peak when you are 27, 28 going into your early 30s. Hopefully that bodes well for me. I'm 27 now and I'd like to think I look after myself to play a good few years in the game.

"If someone told me as a 16, 17-year-old I would play here for 10 years I would have snapped their hand off.

"I've enjoyed every minute of it, even the struggles that we've had in some seasons.

"Although I'm from Stockton I've lived in the town for a good seven or eight years and have been around the club and it's a good place to be.''

Pools' coach Mick Wadsworth admits he built his side around Sweeney's attacking instincts and his ability to break from deep.

The top scorer admitted: "I started off the season well I think. If you can get a goal in your first couple of games it doesn't half calm you down.

"The season before it took me ages to get off the mark and the more the games were going on, the more it was playing on my mind and consequently I was snatching at shots.

"To get a goal early doors I think that really helps. I think it just shows with Larks (Colin Larkin) as well, it took him so long and then he scored a couple in a few games.

"I think the season, as a whole, is a case of what could have been. You look back at some of the points we have dropped, being 2-0 up at home against Bristol, 2-0 up against Swindon, you wonder.

"But I suppose every team in the league has hard luck stories, it's just that ours feel a bit more hard luck than everyone else's!''

Pools' ticket office is open today from 9am-1pm. The club has sold almost 1,400 season tickets, with the aim of selling 4,000 at £100 each by July 15.

Children's tickets - at £50 - count towards the 4,000 benchmark and among those buying one for himself yesterday was chairman Ken Hodcroft.

"Sales have been excellent and we need fans to keep supporting us and buy tickets as soon as possible,'' he said. "We know this weekend could be the first time some people have been paid since we launched the offer, so we hope it will be a big weekend.

"We would like to think the business we have done in the transfer market so far and this offer shows we mean business.''