ADAM Boyd admits he had the time of his footballing life alongside Joel Porter in a Hartlepool United shirt – and now he is desperate to replicate that back at his hometown club.

Boyd and Porter shot Pools to the League One play-off final in 2005, bagging 45 goals between them.

This time around Boyd has been signed as Porter’s replacement.

But there’s another striker in the Victoria Park ranks Boyd knows enough about to relish the prospect of forging a healthy pairing next season.

James Brown has not played since rupturing cruciate knee ligaments last November, but he will be back for pre-season training on July 1, and Boyd admitted: “I can’t wait to play with Browny.

When he was coming through the ranks here he had something special, you could tell that.

“For a lad who has not done an apprenticeship, to have the balls skills and imagination he has is frightening. If he can have a good run injury free then I think he is in with a wonderful chance of going on to bigger and better things.

“I knew all about the fans saying that Browny was the next Adam Boyd – he’s got a lot to live up to! Maybe he will be the one doing all of the tricks and I will be the one holding it up. He can pull it back for me on the six-yard box.’’ Porter will next month head home to Australia after six enjoyable seasons in the North- East.

Boyd could have rejoined Pools in January, only for the deal to fall through, and the 27-year-old admitted: “It would have been nice to have come back and played with Joel for the last six months.

“We got 45 goals between us that season and there are not many partnerships in any league with that goal ratio.

“But there’s no doubt that with Browny we have the potential to replicate that. I’m looking forward to it and hopefully we will click straight away.

“There is no reason why he can’t come back stronger.

Browny is a hard-working lad and he will come through it.

Having him back will be a like a new signing for this club.”

Boyd, signed for £80,000, and boss Chris Turner will take part in a talk-in, billed as Boyd’s homecoming, next Thursday at the Rovers Quoit Club. Tickets are £3 from the club’s ticket office, the Rovers club or by calling 07990 588244.

■ Pools’ chances of signing Dimi Konstantopoulos are receding, with Coventry hoping to offload the goalkeeper on a permanent transfer, rather than a loan deal.

Ex-Pools striker Richard Barker has retired due to a knee injury.