MIDFIELDER Dave Waterman makes his Oxford United debut against Hartlepool at The Kassam Stadium today convinced that he has made the right move.

The 24-year-old signed on a free from Portsmouth on transfer deadline day this week and opted for Oxford rather than Plymouth and Luton, who look like being in a higher division next season, because he believes the place can take off.

"We got dragged down into a relegation dogfight at Portsmouth and after coming to Oxford and speaking to the gaffer and seeing the fantastic set-up here, I thought it was time to come to a club where there's a chance to move on," he said.

"There seems to be a buzz around the place, it's ready to take off.

"I was impressed with the gaffer's ideas and what he wants. I've not come here to play in the third division, I'm looking for promotion."

Guernsey-born Waterman, who has an Irish mother, has played 14 times for Northern Ireland Under 21s and has been on stand-by for the senior side on several occasions.

"Playing alongside someone like Robert Prosinecki can't help but improve you with the ability he's got, although I've been doing all his running for him," he laughed.

Waterman has been asked to add steel to the middle of the park and he could play in an attacking 4-3-3 formation today, with Paul Tait and David Savage asked to support the front three.

Andy Scott is available again after injury, while Lee Maddison comes back in at left back, having been unable to play at Carlisle against his parent club. Maddison's second month's loan ends next week and United are expected to ask the Cumbrian club for permission to extend it until the end of the season.

Ian McCaldon returns in goal because Andy Woodman's permanent signing from Colchester just missed the transfer deadline.

The U's will be bidding for only their second double of the season (Halifax was the other), having won 1-0 at the Victoria Ground thanks to Paul Moody's second-half winner.

But boss Ian Atkins has warned the fans not to assume that Hartlepool will be easy opponents, just because in the past they have invariably struggled in the Football League's bottom division.

"Don't be kidded by the name 'Hartlepool', because they do spend big on players," he said. "They have people like Richie Humphreys and Gordon Watson up front.

Hartlepool boss Chris Turner is waiting on the fitness of midfielder Mark Tinkler, who has a knee injury

Oxford Utd: (from) McCaldon, Stockley, Crosby, Bound, Maddison, Savage, Tait, Waterman, Powell, Gray, Brooks, Scott, Moody, Patterson, Morley, Whitehead, Hackett, Ricketts, Omoyinmi.

Hartlepool Utd: from Williams, Barron, Lee Westwood, Robinson, Clarke, Tinkler, Stephenson, Smith, Watson, Williams, Humphreys, Hollund, Simms, Henderson, Boyd.