MATTHEW BATES admits Ronnie Moore has shown considerable faith by handing him a new one-year deal at Hartlepool United, and the centre-half is determined to repay his manager’s confidence by helping drive the club up the League Two table next season.

Bates became only the second Pools player to agree terms when he penned his new deal this week, with Scott Flinders, Neil Austin and Jonathan Franks all currently assessing their options after being offered new deals at Victoria Park.

Having joined Pools last summer, Bates made 27 appearances last season despite suffering a serious leg injury that sidelined him for around three months.

He appeared at both centre-half and central midfield as Moore’s side completed a remarkable survival act in the second half of the campaign, and is already looking forward to making an even more significant contribution next term.

“It was good to get the contract done,” said the former Middlesbrough trainee, who was part of the Boro side that made it all the way to the UEFA Cup final in 2006. “There were so many ups and downs last season, but it was enjoyable in the end and to stay up in the way we did was fantastic.

“I’m enjoying my time here. I originally signed to play for Colin Cooper, and my relationship with him was probably one of the reasons why I signed, but he obviously left and since Ronnie Moore has come in, I’ve really enjoyed working with him.

“He didn’t have to award me a new contract after last season – he could have let me go – but he’s shown faith in me by keeping me on and I want to repay that.

“I need to get a good pre-season under my belt, so I can come back fitter and sharper than ever. I missed a chunk of last season because of injury – I got a dead leg that turned out to be worse than we thought at first – but in general, my fitness was pretty good. I need to build on that and make sure I have a good season because this is an important part of my career.”

Bates took over the captain’s armband when he was signed by Cooper, and while he relinquished captaincy duties when Sam Collins took over last October, he remains one of the most influential figures in the dressing room.

His career, which has seen him make more than 100 senior appearances for Middlesbrough and also enjoy spells at Bristol City and Bradford, has taken him to some of the biggest stages in Europe, and his experience is a valuable commodity in a Pools squad that boasted a large number of youngsters last season.

“I don’t really see myself as a leader – that’s not the way I am, I just get on with my business and play – but League Two can be a difficult place for young players and I think it’s good to have a decent blend,” he said.

“I think, last year, we had quite a big gulf in ages. There were three or four 30-year-olds in the squad, and quite a lot of young lads, but there was probably only a couple of us in between.

“I think the manager is maybe trying to bridge that gap a bit with some of the players he’s bringing in, and hopefully that will help us next season.”

Given their struggles last term, Pools will inevitably kick off the new campaign as one of the favourites for relegation. However, in an environment as tight and competitive as League Two, it is relatively commonplace for teams to perform markedly differently from one season to the next.

Twelve months before Pools’ great escape, Wycombe Wanderers avoided relegation to the Conference on the final day of the 2013-14 season with a win at Torquay United. A year on, and the Chairboys were at Wembley, losing on penalties to Southend United in the play-off final.

“We have to use Wycombe as proof of what is possible,” said Bates. “Money matters at this level, but it’s not like the Premier League or even the Championship where you can be pretty much certain of which teams will be challenging at the top of the table before the season even begins.

“Things are so unpredictable at this level that it’s really about consistency and putting together runs of eight or nine matches where you’re getting results. We weren’t able to do that last season until right at the very end, but if we can be a bit more consistent next season, there’s no reason why we can’t be competing at the opposite end of the table.”

Last month’s 3-3 draw at Carlisle United might have been Pools’ final outing of the season, but Bates enjoyed one more footballing experience before clocking off for the summer.

“I went to Wembley to watch Boro in the play-off final,” he said. “It was the first time I’ve really had the chance to go as a fan since I left, and apart from the result, I had a really good time.

“I was down at Trafalgar Square on the Sunday night and the atmosphere was amazing. It just showed what happens when a North-East club gets the chance to have a day out at Wembley. Who knows? Next year it might be us.”