PETER Hartley may only be 21, but he has had enough for one lifetime of sitting around on the sidelines without a game to look forward to.

Despite skippering Sunderland’s reserve side last season, the chances of a first-team spot were rare at the Stadium of Light.

So when the opportunity to move to Hartlepool United, his home-town club, arrived, it was one he wasn’t going to pass up.

He’s made the most of his opening, making the left-back spot his own with ever-improving displays.

But, for Hartley, the last week has been a return to the days of watching football from a distance.

Sent-off in the win over Oldham on January 2, he’s been forced to miss three games through suspension, the last of which comes today.

So while his team-mates are at Bristol Rovers, Hartley has been left behind.

He’s available again for Tuesday’s home game with Gillingham at Victoria Park, after missing last weekend’s loss to MK Dons and the midweek reverse at Charlton.

“It’s been a different sort of week, I haven’t know what to do with myself!’’ he confessed.

“I’ve been training with Micky Barron and the youth team, which has been good, but I’ve been a bit starved of football.

“There’s been nothing to train for, no game to look forward to. And it’s been a few weeks of change for us all because of the weather, but thankfully the Charlton game was rearranged for Tuesday night so it means it’s only a week of football I’m out for.

“Now I’m just thinking of the Gillingham game next week.’’ Perhaps missing out seven days ago wasn’t a bad thing for the defender.

As his team-mates were whacked 5-0 by MK Dons, at least he didn’t have to suffer the humbling, although looking on from the Cyril Knowles Stand was tough.

“I was watching and you could tell that too many of our players were not at it,’’ he admitted.

“Even the lads on the bench and me being suspended wouldn’t have made much difference. Only two or three of the lads were at it. They played three in midfield and made it hard for us.

“They came out flying, they were bang on top of their game, and it was an awful day.

“I’ve been involved every game until my suspension and it’s not nice being on the sidelines. I’ve done too much of that at Sunderland. Being out has made me feel like I’m back to square one.

“I’m just focusing on Tuesday and hoping I can be involved.

The lads will have played three games in a week, so hopefully the gaffer will want some fresh legs back.’’ Boss Chris Turner cited Hartley’s naivety as the reason for his dismissal for violent conduct three weeks ago.

Hartley got involved in a spat with Oldham’s Sean Gregan after being booked for a foul on Chris Taylor.

“I’ve got to learn from the experience and the sendingoff,’’ he admitted. “It was a bit dramatic from their lad’s point of view, to get me sent off, but I have to lean from it.

“It was a harsh decision, but I put the ball in the referee’s court by confronting the lad.

Next time I have to brush it off and walk away.

“It’s one of those things all young players do. The games mean something at this level, it means more to me playing for my hometown club as well.

“And when it’s not going well and you are under the cosh it’s hard. We were two up and couldn’t get out of our half. I just, I don’t know.... it just got to me.

“I’m back in contention next week and we have a lot to play for. The Gillingham game is massive for us.”