Pools lifted by signings - West

West is confident of a good start for Pools this season

Hartlepool United assistant manager Colin West believes the investment afforded toward signings this summer will help their League One campaign.

Pools have brought in Adam Boyd from Leyton Orient, Neil Austin from Darlington, Stockport's Leon McSweeney and Peter Hartley from Sunderland.

"We've been allowed to fetch in a few players," he told BBC Tees.

"We hope it will stimulate the players that are currently at the club and give them a boost."

Milton Keynes Dons provide the opposition for Hartlepool on the opening day of the League One season, a club who missed out on a play-off final last season with a penalty shoot-out defeat by Scunthorpe.

And West is pleased with the way the fixtures have panned out and believes everyone at the club can be happy with Pools' display.

"They had an exceptional season last year, particularly at home, and this year we've got to go and play them on their patch," he said.

"I think it's a good opening game for us to have, we've done well in the off-season and I'm anticipating for it to be a good start for us and it's a good game to kick-off with.

Hartlepool United will play Dutch second division side FC Volendam as part of their pre-season schedule.

The game takes place on Monday, 13 July in the Dutch town of Heiloo, and the club will then play SC Cambuur the following Wednesday, at a venue still to be decided.