MIKE NEWELL has won the biggest domestic trophy of them all on the grandest of stages.

But he admits getting his hands on the Division Three championship trophy with Hartlepool United this afternoon will mean more than all he achieved with Blackburn Rovers.

Newell was alongside Alan Shearer in the Rovers' front line when they won the Premiership in 1995, on the last day of the season at Anfield - the ground where Newell watched his football as a youngster.

Liverpool meant everything to Newell then and they still rank highly, but his first managerial gong is all he cares about now.

Three points at Rushden and Hartlepool United will end the season on top of the tree for the first time in their history.

And there is no bigger incentive for Newell's charges.

"Doing this would be the best of them all for me,'' he admitted.

"That was some day, walking around Anfield with the trophy, what 11 or 12, no it seems like that long ago, more like eight years ago. That was something else.

"But that is all in the back of my mind now, when you are actually involved with a team as a manager it is a massive achievement.

"You are not just an individual anymore, you are the one who everyone looks towards. It's to do with responsibility.''

And Newell added: "When we beat Scunthorpe and were promoted it was the lowest I have ever felt in football - it was a horrible feeling.

"Now these players have the chance to write history. It will be the biggest game of their lives for many of them, but I would back them every time.

"Everyone is bubbling and confident, but if I'm honest that is how they normally are.

"We have been doing our best to make it a normal game, but it is difficult. Now all the pressure is on Rushden - they could have won it last week and didn't.

"Our lads deserve the chance because of the season they have had.

"If I was a betting man I would put my money on us. Everyone had written the lads off and now we have the chance of winning the title we can't lose.

"Rushden could have won the league last week, but they didn't, which means we have been given a shot and we want to take it.

"They know that a point is enough, but that could be a dangerous situation to be in.''

Newell's counterpart Brian Talbot admitted: "We are on a good run and they had a little blip. In March they didn't think they could possibly lose the championship.

"But they have been pegged back and now it has come down to one game.

"It's a bonus for us because we didn't think that we would be in this position eight weeks ago. Now we've got to take advantage.''

Pool striker Gordon Watson, who earlier this week hinted today's game could be his last for the club, is relishing the biggest game in the club's history.

He said: "We needed last week's win and performance because we had a strange dip in form, results were not going for us but we had the points in the bag.

"Everyone wanted promotion, now everyone wants the title.

"It was very strange when we were promoted, we got beat 4-0 at Scunthorpe and the fans were singing negative things to the manager - and then that feeds through to the players.''

And after boss Mike Newell came in for flak from some supporters in recent weeks, Watson admitted: "We keep a tight ship here, but everyone believes in each other. The gaffer was fighting an uphill battle from the start.

"If we didn't succeed then it was going to be Mike Newell's team and if we do win the league then it is Chris Turner's team.

"It's next season when he should be judged, when he has his own players in. Remember he got us 14 points clear at the top and when he came to the club we weren't 14 points in front then.

"And when you have a dip in form then people will look for someone to blame, which is totally unfair because it's the players on the pitch who weren't performing.

"Now it's all down to one game and if we were asked at the start of the season then everyone would have wanted this to be the big game - either that or we go there four points clear.

"We've a quiet bunch of lads here, there's no loonies! But they are in good form and so they should be. We came away two days early to do things right and to make sure we give it our best shot.

"We'll have something like 1,600 supporters behind us and that will be fantastic.''

* The Pool squad will tour the town on a open top bus on Monday to celebrate their achievements.

It leaves Victoria Park at 11 and will arrive at the Civic Centre around 90 minutes later in time for a civic reception hosted by Mayor Stuart Drummond and council chairman Carl Richardson.

Read more about Hartlepool here.