THOUSANDS of Hartlepool United fans turned out in force to hail their successful heroes yesterday.

Pool just missed out on the Third Division title on Saturday when they could only draw with new champions Rushden & Diamonds at Nene Park.

But promotion - only the third in the club's history - had already been assured two weeks earlier and the club's supporters lined the streets to salute the players, who were paraded around the town on an open top bus.

Mayor Stuart Drummond, a former mascot at Victoria Park, presented club captain Michael Barron with a silver salver.

And Hartlepool-born full-back Paul Arnison was overwhelmed by the response shown by the club's followers.

"It was fantastic," said Arnison. "There were people standing on the full trip around town, which was good. But it was really special when we arrived at the Civic Centre. It was unbelievable and I was shocked by the amount of people that were there."

Arnison, who is out of contract this summer, was one of a number of players who had their names sung by the fans.

And he said: "It was really nice to go there and hear my name being shouted. It doesn't happen very often that and I was delighted with it. It's something that will stay with me forever."

In Pool manager Mike Newell's speech to the club's supporters he praised his predecessor Chris Turner, who vacated the Victoria Park hot-seat in November.

After the bus tour the players, coaching staff and club officials attended a Promotion Reception at the Civic Centre.

* Torquay boss Leroy Rosenior has signed a new one-year rolling contract to lead the Gulls' promotion bid next season.

Rosenior has turned his young squad into a play-off-chasing outfit after one season in charge and been rewarded with a 12-month deal by chairman Mike Bateson.

Rosenior said: ''It is good to sign a new deal here - I have still got a job to do which is unfinished. We will be challenging again next season.''

Luton midfielder Michael Leary has signed a new two-year contract which will keep him at Kenilworth Road until June 2005.

Exeter boss Gary Peters is refusing to be drawn on his future after the Grecians were relegated from the Football League.

Peters initially joined the Grecians to oversee their last 13 matches and battle against the drop. City only lost three of those games but Peters said: ''I won't make any decision until I'm in the right frame of mind. I need to give myself a bit of time.''

Read more about Hartlepool here.