Hartley a proud man with the captain's armband

With captain Sam Collins left out of the starting line-up to face Sheffield United, Neale Cooper had a choice to make over who would wear the skipper's armband.

He had experienced professionals in there, the likes of Paul Murray and Steve Howard, while vice-captain Neil Austin was back in the team.

The manager, however, opted for one of his younger professionals. But he knew instantly he had made the right choice.

Peter Hartley was born and raised in the town, captaining his own club was, for the 24-year-old another mark in his development.

He was skipper of Sunderland's reserve side during his time on Wearside, but this was his first experience of leading out the first-team.

Hartley was as culpable as anyone last weekend when Pools shipped three goals at Colchester. Perhaps even more so than others, such was his costly header to present the Us with a second.

But Cooper, who yesterday signed Sunderland striker Ryan Noble on loan for a month, was sure the centre-half would thrive on the added responsibility.

"There's a strong spine down the middle of the team - Peter, Paul and Steve. Peter hasn't played well of late and made mistakes,'' said Cooper.

"But him and Jack have played together before and to give him the captaincy the other night will boost him. He is very self-critical and last week when he made the mistake with a header he will keep thinking about that.

"He needs to carry on and put it to the past.

"I spoke to him the other night and gave him the responsibility of the captaincy and he was excellent. He will carry on this weekend.''

He added: "There was options to be captain, Peter likes that responsibility. With Sam not playing it was a choice to make.

"Peter made mistakes last weekend, but he will get on with it. The responsibility of looking after Jack (Baldwin) - not that Jack needs looking after, but he is still only 18 - would be good for him.

"He was a proud man with the armband on, a Hartlepool boy it means a lot. From the back, the way things have been, I wanted him as captain.

"There's nothing worse than not knowing you aren't playing - managers should tell their players. The boy can be unhappy but at least it's been explained to them. The boys coming in, if you get a chance then stay in there and make the most of it.''

Cooper put Austin and Baldwin back in their preferred positions on Tuesday, recalled Andy Monkhouse and gave Darren Holden a start at left-back, while leaving out Evan Horwood and Sam Collins.

They were big calls from the manager, but he didn't spring a shock on the players, revealing he spoke to the omitted indivuduals beforehand.

"I spoke to the boys I left out before the game, I try to do that. I don't like naming a team and not speaking to the players affected in advance,'' he said.

"Once I didn't do that. At Ross County with a boy called Julian Broddle. He was a regular and was having a bomb scare.

"I walked in the changing room and he was sat there all ready in his kit. I named the team and it was embarrassing for him as well as me.....

"I try and do it beforehand. It's not nice to be dropped. The players who came in did well and Aussie was better this time.''

Cooper added: "Paul Murray has his share of bruises on his legs, but he was excellent the other night in a high tempo game. It wasn't just on the pitch he was important, I sensed it in the dressing room as well where he was a big influence.

"He's a winner. It means a lot to him, I wish he was ten years younger and would have loved to see him at his peak.

"Like Stevie, he's took a few knocks, but he doesn't want to miss anything, he wants to be out there, he has that attitude.''

Cooper has often had cause to be critical of his players this season - in August he blew his top after being beaten 5-0 at Crewe in the Captial One Cup.

But, on Tuesday it was a different story and admitted: "It was nice to be able to praise the players afterwards, I was very proud. They've had some stick in recent weeks and we are all in this together - myself, players, staff.

"We have to fight our way out of it at the moment and it was unfortunate to lose a goal at the end. But I look back and we put a lot more pressure on them - they came in accepting they were so fortunate to get a win.

"But now we have to go to Crewe and come back from that disappointment. Play like we did the other night and come away with a win.

"We have lost there already this season badly and it must make us determined and use as a spur for the boys. Even that day we still created chances and never took them.

"We go there with a fighting attitude, I've said that to them. Perform and have the same workrate as the other night.''

Noble will go straight into the starting XI this afternoon. He had a spell at Pools last season, scoring twice in nine games.