ANTONY SWEENEY has put pen to paper on a new contract at Hartlepool United despite interest from League One promotion chasers Huddersfield Town.

Sweeney was one of three more players, including goalkeeper Scott Flinders and Peter Hartley, to commit to deal extensions at Victoria Park yesterday.

The trio’s decisions have followed on the back of an exciting week in which most of their out of contract players have signed new deals, while Nolberto Solano and James Poole are the latest arrivals.

Sweeney’s 14 goals from midfield have grabbed the attention of a number of clubs and scouts from have watched him across the country in the last nine months.

Former Newcastle midfielder Lee Clark, manager at Huddersfield, is among those thought to be among the player’s admirers, as are Southampton.

But Pools’ announcement means that Sweeney will not be allowed to leave on a free this summer, with Mick Wadsworth keen to take the club closer to a top six finish next season.

Hartlepool-born defender Hartley and Flinders’ new contracts are a further boost to Wadsworth’s ambitions, knowing he had sealed the signature of influential midfielder Paul Murray on Tuesday.

It means that of the 11 players that were out of contract who Hartlepool wanted to keep, only Gary Liddle is yet to commit to a further year.

Liddle, a former Middlesbrough Academy graduate, is another of Wadsworth’s most scouted players and there are fears he could move on for nothing this summer.

Neil Austin, Adam Boyd, James Brown, Flinders, Hartley, Andy Monkhouse, Murray and Sweeney have all agreed to stay on after further negotiations with the club.

Sam Collins and Paul Johnson had already penned new deals, while Hartlepool had taken up options on Steve Haslam and Colin Larkin. Liddle, however, is the only one now still outstanding.