MATT Jansen would consider gaining promotion with Chorley a bigger achievement than playing in the Premier League with Blackburn Rovers.

A victory for Chorley over Halifax tomorrow would see the Magpies into the end of season shoot-outs as the two sides immediately above them Salford City and Darlington meet at Moor Lane.

And with Darlington having seen their appeal against the Football Association's decision to exclude them from the play-offs for not having 500 covered seats across two stands rejected, a draw for Chorley would be enough to see them finish in the top five if Salford lose and Stockport don't overhaul a three goal swing at home to Gloucester.

But Jansen is aiming for three points and the opportunity to lodge a new career high.

He said: "It is a completely different notion as a manager, you can’t compare it to playing, when you just go home and can forget about it all.

“A manager lives and breaths it 24 hours a day, the highs and lows, the wins and the losses, and you are responsible to the players, the people who employ you and the fans.

“But if I got Chorley up to the National Conference it would surpass anything I did in professional football.”

Jansen, a League Cup winner with Rovers, took charge in 2015 after his former Ewood team mate Garry Flitcroft stepped down.

“Even at this level there’s tremendous pressure to get results, but I don’t think we are under any extra pressure tomorrow because nobody expected us to be here in the first place,” said Jansen.

“Our remit at the start of the season was to be competitive, perhaps to finish in the top dozen, because the Conference North is an incredibly tough environment.

“There are clubs in this league with a bigger financial clout than Chorley, but we’ve matched them through our spirit and belief.

“So to be where we are, in with a chance of promotion, is a testament to how well the players have done because we have definitely punched above our weight.”

The Magpies showed their resilience by rescuing a precious draw at Gloucester City last weekend after striker Jack Sampson saw red before half time.

Sampson misses out tomorrow and also the play-offs if Chorley are involved.

“That just underlined what we are about, battling away against the odds to get something from a very hard game,” added Jansen.

“The lads have shown character, togetherness, and a never say die attitude that I’ve never experienced anywhere else.”

Chorley have proved admirably consistent under Jansen, having lost just seven times in 41 league starts - and only champions AFC Fylde can better that.

And at the back, they boast the best defensive record in the league, having leaked only 39 goals.

“We are a strong unit and very difficult to beat and we pride ourselves on that,” added Jansen.”

Chorley tackle Halifax on a decent run, unbeaten in their last five league starts, and with the Shaymen having already booked their place in the play-offs, Jansen will be hoping they will have one eye on next month’s end of season joust.

“Halifax might rest one or two players, I don’t know,” added Jansen, whose side could still meet Halifax in the play-offs.

“But what I do know is that we are capable of reaching the play-offs – and tomorrow is a huge day in the club’s history.

“We will need leaders at Victory Park tomorrow but my players usually rise to the occasion.”