IT might seem a million miles away in the current situation Hartlepool United are entrenched in, but John Hughes is dreaming of promotion.

The Scot has suffered four defeats in his five games in charge at Victoria Park and Pools are rooted to the foot of League One with a solitary win to their name this season.

But Hughes is sure their miserable record can soon come to an end and, with back to back games against two struggling teams in Portsmouth and Carlisle to come, he is confident of an upturn in fortunes.

Pools were, back in 2005, minutes from the Championship in the play-off final. They were relegated the following season, but bounced back and have enjoyed a solid stay in League One ever since 2007.

That looks like coming to an end next year.

Short-term it's not very clever, but looking long-term and Hughes admitted: "We are in a dogfight right now, but hopefully we can stay up. If that wasn't the case and I get the time and we take one step down to come two forward and we are sitting in the top few places for promotion, winning most weeks, I was told we would double our fan base.

"That's what a Hartlepool supporter told me - they want winning football, I want winning and attractive football.

"Let's jump on the back of what we did in the performance against Stevenage at home the other weekend, let's embrace it, endorse it and try and make it quicker and better. It may no happen every week, but the determination is there.

"If we get a win, the belief and shot in the arm it would give us could be huge.''

Pools will be without Jack Baldwin at the weekend after he picked up his fifth booking of the season in the defeat at MK Dons at the weekend. Hughes is hoping Peter Hartley comes through training this week unscathed after suffering from conjunctivitis, which would see the skipper replace him in central defence.

There won't, however, be a spot for Evan Horwood who hobbled off in the opening minutes last weekend.

"Evan has tweaked his groin which is very disappointing because he was different class against Stevenage,'' said Hughes.

"We were looking to him for more of the same.

"But I had no qualms or hesitation in putting young Darren Holden on - he's a great prospect, he's got great pace.

"When he acknowledges himself that he's a first-team regular then he'll get better for it.''