HARTLEPOOL United's promotion-chasing players could be given a big end of season boost if chairman Ken Hodcroft has his way.

Pool, who tackle Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Ground this afternoon as they bid to put last week's defeat to Luton behind them, have enjoyed pre-season tours to Norway in recent years.

But Hodcroft, with extensive contacts across the globe thanks to his work with Pool owners Increased Oil Recovery Ltd, indicated that a trip outside Europe could be on the cards.

"We are looking at something different for next year,'' he confessed. "Because the season ends earlier next year with the World Cup and doesn't start until August, we might get two trips in.

"And I would like it make it a bit more exciting for everyone - a bit of a coup or PR thing. I will probably know by about March or April which could give everyone a boost before the end of the season. It would be good for Chris to be able to offer the players something different for training.'' Hodcroft is a regular visitor to Brazil and America on his travels and Pool boss Chris Turner last month flew to Greece to establish links through Hodcroft's contacts.

And the Pool chairman is happy with the club's strong Norwegian connections - despite no players arriving at Pool this winter.

"Brann are supposed to be coming over here again next year, but we have heard nothing from them,'' he added.

"We are talking to them all the time and we hoped that they would send someone over here to play. They said 'OK', but then they wanted a winter break. It's very difficult for them because they have financial problems.

"It's disappointing in the sense that we haven't managed to get someone over here, but it wasn't to be.

"A lot of their players wanted a rest and they are entitled to it.

"But there is a great relationship between the clubs and it is still there. We are still getting involved with both Brann and Fana - hopefully they will come here for a tour and we will go back there.'' Last week's defeat to Luton ended Pool's five-game unbeaten run and Turner said: "We have been looking through the stats from last week's defeat and we know we didn't deserve to lose.

"We have watched the video, as we do with every game, and we remain happy with the way we have played.

It was not the best of performances in the first half, but I think we came back and showed our strengths.

"Bristol Rovers have not been doing too well since coming down to this division but we know they will be a difficult team.

"They have some good players and we will have to show the same type of resilience and determination that we saw in the second half against Luton."

He added: "We can't be downhearted after seeing the good run come to an end. It's important that we go out at Bristol and the players keep the confidence high."

On-loan striker Steve Parkin has been left out of the squad today as Turner aims to get the big man fit for the Christmas period: "We need to work on him a bit because he has came to us not fully fit,'' he said.

"He's been at Barnsley and he's got all the credentials to be everything we are looking for.

"Potentially he will be able to do a job for us but we do have to do a lot of work with him because he has been neglected at Barnsley."