NEVER mind Hartlepool United seeking revenge this afternoon.

For one player - an integral part of the promotion team of last season - a different battle is on the cards. Kevin Henderson left Pool last month to sign for Carlisle.

And while Pool meet Rushden and Diamonds, the team who ended up with the Division Three championship, at Victoria Park, Henderson's team take on Mansfield aiming to save their Football League lives.

Last season Pool held a seemingly unassailable 14-point advantage over the Diamonds and ended up finishing second after a disappointing end of season run-in.

This season and Henderson's Carlisle have a similar gap to deal with. The trouble is they are ten points adrift at the bottom.

"It's great to be playing regular football again,'' he admitted. "Even though we are in a difficult position it's good to be playing.

"The club was in a hell of a state and the new manager has come in and has to change it around.

"We've had coaches leaving and new staff coming in. The team is the same, every week there's been injuries and suspensions - we haven't had a settled team.

"That's the difference with Pool and Carlisle - Pool's squad has been settled and together for a long time.

"It's a completely different scenario now - I've gone from a team used to winning to a team which has been losing week in, week out.

"A couple of seasons ago we were bottom of the league in November and made the play-offs, so I'm sure the gap at the bottom can be clawed back.

"We've got 20-odd games - nearer 30 - to do it so there's plenty of time.''

Henderson has spent the last two seasons as a bit part player at Pool, a regular on the bench as first-team starts came hard to come by.

And now, with regular football - injuries permitting - on the cards he admits the buzz has returned.

"Last season I suffered from injury, it was the same the season before, but the last time I had a full season in the team, I scored 20 goals and I can take great belief from that," said Henderson, who has been joined at the Cumbrians by Pool defender Pau* Arnison.

"Now I am playing again, I've been coming away from games in a bad mood, results have really affected me. Without realising until it started again, I haven't had that feeling for a long time and it's great to have it again.''

Henderson has a contract at Brunton Park until the end of next season and said a big thank-you to Pool's management team for allowing him to get that security.

"A couple of teams came in for me last season, but I had been there four years and there was no way I was going to leave when we were having some success," he said. I wanted to be part of it and I will never forget what happened, the open top bus tour and promotion will always stay with me.''

"Neale Cooper and Martin Scott have been good enough to let me leave now - they could have kept me at the club and I was out of contract at the end of the season,'' he said.

"Then I would be in the same position as 600 other players looking for a club.

"By letting me go now I have a contract until the end of next season and a bit more security. I spent four years there and loved every minute of it.

"A lot of people leave clubs and have nothing good to say about where they have been.

"That's not the case for me. Hartlepool will always be part of me and, apart from the injuries, it's been great. I had nothing but good times there.''

Henderson saw a succession of strikers arrive to play with and instead of the striker who moved to Pool from Burnley.

And the best of them all?

"Gordon Watson wasn't everybody's cup of tea,'' he said. "But he had that swagger and arrogance about him on the pitch which brushed off on the rest of the lads.

"He scored plenty of goals and wanted to play for Chris Turner so much.

"I used to sit at home watching Ritchie Humphreys playing on Sky in the Premiership when I was at Morpeth, Chris Westwood has been fantastic, Jim Provett - what a keeper he is going to be - and Tommy Miller left to play in the Premiership and might be back there next season.''

He added: "I had three managers in a year at Pools - now it's four with Paul Simpson at Carlisle - and that was really unsettling for everyone.

"But the success still came and that is down to the lads at the club.

"I have never known a group of players like those. The spirit among them all is fantastic and that's why they have done so well.''

If Henderson has one regret it is leaving without saying farewell to the fans. His last appearance was at Bristol City on August 23 and he said: "That's one of the sad things for me. It wasn't a case of 'right, this is my last game, goodbye'.

"I would love to be able to go back and say bye to the supporters - it might have to be with another team one day!

"Since I left I've had letters from fans and I want to thank them all for their support over the years. I had some hard times and they helped me through it.''

* Adam Boyd yesterday joined Boston United on loan, the third Pool player to leave Victoria Park on a temporary basis this season, following Paul Arnison and Marcus Richardson. Boyd will play for The Pilgrims against Orient this afternoon.

Read more about Hartlepool here.