RITCHIE Humphreys has joined Mark Tinkler in extending his stay at Hartlepool United.

After Tinkler followed the example set by Micky Barron, Chris Westwood and Adam Boyd in signing a new, two-year deal, fans' favourite Humphreys followed suit.

Humphreys has been in fine form this season, netting nine times from midfield, including a hat-trick against Swansea last month.

He said: "I'm loving it here. I've been playing in a variety of positions. Would I like to play at a higher level? Definitely. Everyone wants to play as high as they can. You always have aims of playing in the top flight and to do as well as possible.

"I just hope that I can do that with Hartlepool.

"As soon as I came and saw the facilities two years ago I wanted to be here.

"Chris Turner offered me a contract and for me, the most important thing is that I am playing regularly. When I was at Sheffield Wednesday I was in and out of the team and that was difficult.

"You can't build up a consistent run of form when you are like that.''

And Humphreys' consistency has put him among the leading contenders for the player of the year award which is handed out next month.

Pool boss Mike Newell is making a determined effort to tie his players to the club and is still in talks with defender Graeme Lee over a new deal.

Striker Gordon Watson is another out of contract at the end of the season and he will again be on the bench this afternoon. He had a 90-minute run out for the reserves in midweek, where he looked strong towards the end of the game.

Newell is hoping Victoria Park will be a stress-free environment against Southend this afternoon.

Despite a ten-point lead at the top of the table, he was frustrated at the fans' reaction to the goalless draw with Bury last Friday night.

"I don't understand what the frustration was and there has been a lot of it around," he said.

"We lost at Lincoln and you get people saying the wheels have come off.

"Then we got a point at home to Bury and there was a lot of frustration around - it was a point won and we ended up increasing our lead at the top. I don't understand quite what people want.

"Do they expect us to wipe the floor with every single team we play? There will be times when things don't go for you.

"Can you tell me a team who will go 46 games playing great stuff, scoring great goals and winning every week?

"We played a decent side last week, I thought Bury were probably the best team we have played at home since Cambridge.

"They were a side in form and they frustrated us by defending well and getting men behind the ball in numbers.''

Southend knocked Pool out of the FA Cup this season, winning a Victoria Park replay 2-1 in Newell's first home game in control.

Two goals in injury time, from Tes Bramble and Leon Cort, sunk Pool, and Newell said: "We've seen them at our place in the FA Cup and we've had them watched and we know what they are about.''

* Victoria Park is also being used tomorrow afternoon, when Lion Hillcarter entertain Allerton in the semi-finals of the All England Sunday FA Cup.

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