CRAIG HARRISON has praised the impact of ‘technician’ Nicky Featherstone.

The midfielder made his first start of the season in midweek, as Hartlepool United drew with Chester at Victoria Park.

Featherstone had a hernia operation during the summer break, after he masked the problem during last season’s relegation fight.

He played through pain and his training was arranged specifically to allow him to turn out game in, game out.

Pools’ best display in the early stages of the National League campaign coincided with Featherstone’s return as last season’s captain started in central midfield. He will be alongside Connor Newton in the middle of the park at Bromley this afternoon.

“We played a bit of an animation of a 4-4-2, with Conor getting further forward and Nicky getting on the ball,’’ said Harrison.

“Nicky has been injured and he is a fantastic technician. He has just not been fit enough to put that into practice due to that double hernia op at the start of pre-season.

“He is a player who really fits into my philosophy, he fits the way I want my team to play football.

“He is my type of player - a player that can control the tempo with his passing. He showed that with the goal we scored on Tuesday, he was composed in the build-up.

“It is going to be tough for him physically. That was the first game he has had back and he got 85 minutes under his belt. It was his first real test but he covered a lot of ground in the game according to the stats and came through it well.

“He is the type of player I want to build the team around, without a shadow of a doubt.’’

Harrison was a tough full-back by trade, starting out at Middlesbrough before moving to Crystal Palace.

Flair players may have been the enemy for Harrison the player, but the manager admires them.

“I like footballers, I have done since I was a kid,’’ he reflected. “Glenn Hoddle was one of my heroes. David Ginola was my favourite player when I was younger.

“I know I wasn't that kind of player - I was horrible. As a manager though I have an appreciation of a good footballer.

“People go on about players who are hard, run around - the Vinnie Jones type of this world, but I think you can be brave in a different way. I have more respect for players who are brave in wanting the ball, who try things, maybe give it away but still ask for it back the next time.

“I want players to be brave when the team is not playing well, still want the ball on a tough night - Nicky is a one of them. His calming influence was a big factor the other night.’’

Today’s game is Pools’ fifth of the season in a matter of two weeks. They have a seven-day spell before their next game, at home to Flyde, before going to Guiseley on Bank Holiday Monday.

Harrison and coaches Paul Jenkins and Matthew Bates are looking forward to the chance to spend a full week on the training ground next week.

“There’s a lot of games at the start of the season,’’ said the manager. “We don’t have much time to work with players at all. There’s recovery time, a light session Thursday, a light session Friday the day before a game.

“It’s mainly tactical work, set-plays and the like – we can’t do a lot of physical work with them and you have to take the travelling into account to.

“Next week is a free week and it gives us the chance to get to work on the training ground.’’