CRAIG HIGNETT’S mind is just about made up when it comes to who he will have around Victoria Park, but the Hartlepool United boss won’t allow any easing up.

Pools take on Portsmouth at Victoria Park this afternoon in their final home game of the season, which ends at Plymouth in seven days time.

After back to back defeats to Accrington and Oxford, Hignett doesn’t want to season to peter out and instead he hopes to carry some positivity into the summer.

"We want to finish the season properly, we've had a brilliant run but I'd love to win the last game,’’ he insisted.

"I'm hoping it will be a good day and the weather's all right because it's been a nightmare this week.

"I hope the fans will have something good to watch to go home and be happy about.’’

Pools overall form of late has been very impressive. They didn’t deserve to lose 2-0 at Oxford a week ago.

Hignett has already offered new contracts to three of his squad for next season and beyond, and there’s the promise of more to come in the next few days.

Lewis Hawkins as well as goalkeepers Adam Bartlett and Trevor Carson are tied down to fresh deals and Hignett said: said: "Hopefully we've got a couple that are close [to signing] and hopefully that will be wrapped up soon.

"We'll go through the next lot after that.

"I want them done early so I know where I stand and what I can do in the summer.

"I'm not looking to add a lot of players, three or four, so that's the position I'm looking to be in at the end of the season.

"That would be pleasing.’’

And then, for the Pools boss, comes the job of reshaping his options for the 2016/17 campaign.

With three loanees being regulars in his first team – Adam Jackson, Jake Gray and Luke James – there’s three holes to fill before he looks at his permanent acquisitions.

Informing the current players of their futures is to come in the next ten days, but the Pools boss has yet to decide just when.

“I’ll speak to the players about next season when I feel the time is right – it may be next week, it may be when the season is finished,’’ he said.

“Since I came in I’ve enjoyed working with all the players, but making decisions is part and parcel of the job. I live and die by those decisions, everything I do I feel is right for the club.

“The lads have been brilliant and it’s tough making decisions like that, I like everyone of them and there’s no bad apple amongst them, but they are all footballers and know it’s part of the job.

“It’s nothing personal, it’s about a business decision.

“The decision-making starts the day I arrived, it’s about quickly assessing players and situations and getting to a point where I am now, where I am fairly clear in my mind what I want.’’

After watching a number of games at Victoria Park this season before his February appointment and the fact that he worked as assistant boss under Colin Cooper a couple of years ago, Hignett already had a handle on some of his charges before he started coaching with them daily.

“It didn’t take me long to realise what I’ve got,’’ he reflected. “I had a head start because I knew some of the players, but some who I didn’t know have surprised me.

“I’ve nothing but praise for them, even those not involved. Attitudes have been first-class and when the time comes and players find out one way or another I will do my very best to help them.

“With getting players in we have been watching players for a few weeks now, both me and Curtis.

“Players who we know, who we would like and if we get them is a different matter as everyone is in for players and it’s hard for everyone, but we will try our best.’’