CHRIS Turner insists there's no pressure on his shoulders going into the new season.

Hartlepool United kick-off the new campaign at Carlisle this afternoon, aiming to carry on the good work of last season which saw them race into the play-offs only to be denied at the death against Cheltenham.

With Pool among the favourites for the title and many pundits and managers tipping Turner's side for glory, the Victoria Park chief realises expectations have been raised after three seasons of going close.

Roddy Collins, who Turner comes up against this afternoon at Brunton Park, is the latest to label Pool potential champions, and the Racing Post, the gamblers' bible, tags Pool as "overpriced at 12-1 for the title" but Turner remains unfazed.

And instead he is relishing the task of living up to expectations.

"There's no pressure on us,'' he said. "And that's because I know the club is a good club.

"It is well run from top to bottom, we have a good bunch of young players, people are coming to watch us and being entertained because we play good football and score lots of goals.

"The only thing which has been missing has been promotion, but I don't think it puts us under any more pressure. I know that we are doing a good job here. Crowds are on the up, we've got good quality players here and without being too blas about it no-one could have done a job like has been done here. The proof is in the pudding and we have gone from being at the bottom of the league to the top in a short space of time.

"Even when we were bottom of the league last season, I didn't feel any pressure from the fans or within the club. We were still playing the football; the only problem was not finishing off the chances.

"Gordon Watson and Paul Smith came together and we started to move up. I just hope we can do it this time because we deserve to go up on our form and style of play in the last few years. The players are desperate for promotion and if they put the effort in and play like we know they can they will get their reward.''

Pool go to Carlisle this afternoon with the Cumbrians looking to celebrate the club's recent change of ownership.

A crowd of around 10,000 is expected and Turner said: "It's going to be a big day for them as they try to put the last few seasons behind them. It is good for my players to run out in front of a big crowd like that and it should raise their game.

"The confidence and feeling is always there for the first game of the season. What can work in our favour is that we have had a full pre-season. They have not had a long time to assemble a team. I know they are bringing in two or three new players, but it will take a few weeks to assemble a team properly and get up and running.''

An injury to Paul Smith aside, Turner has been satisfied with the way his pre-season campaign has gone and he admitted: "We have a good squad of players here.

"The players are all thinking and talking about promotion and now it is up to them to prove they can do it." Smith isn't fit enough to start this afternoon and instead teenager Anthony Sweeney will come in for his first start. Tommy Widdrington is on the road to recovery after back and hamstring trouble.

Read more about Hartlepool here.