JAMIE McCunnie has already seen at close hand what Alan Thompson can do and now the Hartlepool United defender is happy to have him as a teammate.

McCunnie and Thompson were in the Pools side which won its first game in seven on Tuesday night, when they saw off Southend 4-3 at Victoria Park.

Just like the last time the pair were on the same pitch together there were plenty of goals. On that occasion in 2005, McCunnie's Dunfermline lost 8-1 to Thompson's Celtic, just months after The Pars pulled off a 1-0 win at Parkhead.

Thompson joined Pools on loan from Leeds on Tuesday morning and, after meeting his new teammates in the dressing room prior to kick-off, made a swift debut.

"I played against him in Scotland at a time he was doing very well - at Celtic when Martin O'Neill was manager and they were a great team, they cleaned up most of the time,'' recalled Mc- Cunnie, who returned after two months out with a knee problem.

"It's got to be a good signing for us. He showed a bit of composure in there, an older head can help the younger boys in the team.

"Maybe that's what we need, I don't know, but he seemed to help the other night. When I played against him before you knew how good he was on the ball - but all that Celtic teamwere - and his set-piece delivery is very good.

He's well known for that.

"So I'm sure that when he comes in for training over the next few days he can get to know us all.

"We shook his hand the other night before the game and then played - it was like playing with a stranger! But I'm lucky enough to have played against him a few times, so I know what he can do.

"When he went off we conceded a few soft goals, so it might have been a bit different if he had stayed on.'' Pools have the former Newcastle man, capped once for England, for a month as he builds up match fitness and he is unlikely to be the only new signing arriving this month.

"He has been one that we have been watching for a few weeks,'' said assistant boss Ian Butterworth.

"Danny spoke to Dennis Wise and it all happened quickly so we have got him in. It is just for a month at the moment but we will see how it goes.

"There will be one or two more coming in. We have got to improve the squad and we have got to kick-on."

Pools have been linked with a move for Hull City's Sam Collins.

The central defender, 30, moved to Humberside from Port Vale two years ago, but has not featured under new boss Phil Brown, making just one appearance this season.