HARTLEPOOL United face competition for striker Dean McDonald.

Pool last week lodged a £75,000 bid for the Ipswich frontman who spent a month on loan at Victoria Park earlier in the season.

But Blackpool and Boston are both interested in his services after Portman Road boss Joe Royle indicated he would be willing to sell if they get the right offer.

"We will have to see if Hartlepool want to meet our valuation but they have not come back to us so far,'' he said.

"We have had other clubs asking about taking Dean on loan but there is no point in that.

"There are clubs interested in Dean but we would only consider them if the price was right and the cash could help us in other areas."

Sidelined Pool striker Adam Boyd returned to first team training yesterday and indicated he could be among the substitutes for the game with Blackpool at Victoria Park a week on Saturday.

Boyd, last season's North-East Football League Footballer of the Year, has been out since September with knee ligament damage.

And, with the possibility of Joel Porter making an appearance for the reserves at Scarborough tomorrow, Scott's striking options are suddenly looking brighter.

Read more about Hartlepool here.