Chris Turner won't be overawed by Saints

Nov 24 2009 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

CHRIS Turner is still happy with the progress Hartlepool United are making this season as they look to beat one of League One's glamour clubs, Southampton, tonight.

Although Pool lost to Huddersfield at the weekend their manager was relatively pleased with the performance and argued they had deserved to take a point back with them.

But, with Southampton the visitors to Victoria Park tonight, there is no time to dwell on a defeat as Turner challenged his players to prove money is not everything in football.

With Norwich City, Leeds United, Charlton Athletic and Southampton all in the division this year, Hartlepool are trying to compete for a play-off place on a fraction of the budget of some of their rivals.

“We gave a really good account of ourselves, particularly in the first half, against Huddersfield and we were very unfortunate not to go in 2-0 up at half-time,” said Turner.

“I felt we could have come away with a draw, but we haven’t and now we have to look for something against Southampton.

“Obviously teams like that don’t want to be down where we are, but it is fantastic for League One and it benefits us as well because they raise the profile of the division.

“They are a Championship club at the minimum, probably a Premier League one if you look at their history, but they are where they are and we won’t be overawed by them, just as we haven’t when we’ve played Stoke City, West Brom, Burnley and West Ham in cup competitions.

“Although we lost to a very good Huddersfield side I’m still very happy with things. This is a new look side but they are starting to gel. We wanted to establish ourselves as a good League One team this season and we are on the way to doing that.

“The next aim is to get to 30 points as quickly as we can. Then we will look to improve from there.”

Although Turner has put a good side out on the pitch this season, Hartlepool’s crowds remain among the lowest in the division and he has urged the town to get behind them.

He said: “We can’t make the crowds turn up but the less people there are the more our owners IOR have to subside us and it does make it more difficult.

“However, the more fans we get the better it is for the club and I hope we can get a few more in against Southampton because it is a big help.”