Chris Turner has challenged Michael Mackay to put in the work to help make him a regular in the Hartlepool United line-up next season.

The 26-year-old front man signed a new deal with the Club on Thursday lunchtime and has already admitted he has to improve on his game.

And Turner has echoed those sentiments but insists he's seen enough of the former Consett goal machine to convince him he can become a hit at Victoria Park.

"When you look around, finding natural goalscorers is a difficult business," Turner told the Official Website.

"In non-league where Michael has come from anyone who scores goals at the rate he did become a very expensive signing to make.

"When he first arrived at the Club you could see his enthusiasm and he's come on and scored some vital goals for us.

"There's no doubt he has the attributes to progress but, as he has said himself, he needs to put it all together now and make the next step.

"We've had many enquiries about Michael in the last two months but if he does get it going then we'll have a goalscoring centre-forward on our hands."

Mackay has bagged 10 goals in 60 outings for the Club so far but Turner has backed the Durham-born front man to up his strike rate if faith is shown in him.

"For League One standards he needs to step things up; I know that and Michael knows that but he needs people to believe in him, and I do," Turner explained..

"When we got him from non-league we knew it would take a while for him to adapt to things but if he does get there it will have been worth the wait for the Football Club."