MICKY Nelson has already made a big impression on Hartlepool United fans.

The summer signing from Bury will be in the Pool line-up which kicks the season off at Peterborough on Saturday.

And a repeat of the last time Nelson was involved in Nationwide League action with Pool would go down nicely for everyone.

Nelson cut a commanding figure at Victoria Park, shutting out Division Three leaders Pool in a goalless draw.

"I really enjoyed playing at Victoria Park last season for Bury,'' he recalled. "I played really well that night and we kept a clean sheet which was nice against the team at the top of the league. I was marking Eifion Williams that night and he never scored so I must have been doing something right.'' Nelson's capture is a case of third time lucky. After two previous trial spells he was rejected and moved to Bishop Auckland before being snapped up by Bury.

"I had two trials - one under Mick Tait and one with Chris Turner, but both came to nothing,'' he said.

"So I went to play for Tony Lee at Bishops. Tommy Miller got me the trials here after I left Portsmouth.

"I had a season and half under Tony and enjoyed it - now I'm here as a replacement for his son. Tony seems to know everyone in the game and I've seen Spike play a few times.

"Spike seemed to have been well liked by the fans over the years and was consistent over the years he had here.

"Pools have been one of the teams I kept an eye on over the years, especially with them doing so well when I was in the same division last season.''

Nelson won last year's Player of the Year awards and many at Gigg Lane felt Pool got a bargain in spending £70,000.

His early days at Bury were in the Second Division and he knows what to expect come Saturday.

"You would have thought it was a lot more physical in the third division than the second, but teams and individuals were a lot stronger higher up.

"It's all about fitness really. When I saw Hartlepool play last season they knocked it around the ground and played good football.

"And that happens a lot more in the Second Division, more teams try and do that, so it should suit us.'

Read more about Hartlepool here.