HARTLEPOOL United's players and management were involved in a dressing room bust-up at Victoria Park on Saturday.

Following the 3-0 reverse by Blackpool, raised voices were heard coming from the home dressing room as players and staff tried to restore order.

Martin Scott's voice was heard and a number of club stewards entered the area only to be turned away.

It is believed an altercation took place between Scott and one player.

A report yesterday suggested Scott was the victim of a punch, but neither the manager nor anyone from the club would comment on the matter.

A wall alongside Victoria Park was yesterday sprayed with graffiti urging the manager's removal.

The news will not go down well with the chairman.

Ken Hodcroft and owners IOR pride themselves on the professional image the club now possesses since their arrival in 1997.

The club's customer charter reads: "All members of staff endeavour to maintain a positive profile whilst representing the Club.''

And at the recent AGM, Hodcroft reiterated that statement in front of Scott, directors and shareholders.

It is believed one of the players involved could report the matter to the PFA.

Visiting boss Simon Grayson had words of sympathy for under-pressure Scott.

Grayson celebrated a comprehensive victory to leapfrog Pool in the League One table.

But he wasn't ready to rub any noses in it and admitted: "I'm real good friends with Steve Agnew and Martin Scott. I played with Aggers at Leicester for a couple of years and he's a close friend of mine.

"It's disappointing when you hear the reaction of the crowd but we all know that in management you're probably going to go through spells in your career where things aren't going to be right for you all the time.

"It's not a nice thing but hopefully they'll respond in the right way. The one thing you can probably guarantee as a manager is that you'll lose your job somewhere along the line."

Scott, who has won just eight League One games in his first season in control, admits confidence and belief is low within his squad.

He said: "Confidence at Victoria Park in recent years has been high, it's been easy and enjoyable to play home games - now we are in the bottom four and it's not an easy place to play for us right now.

"We haven't won a game for a long time, too long, and we are in the bottom four. It's not a nice situation.

"We've got 33 points from 30 games and it's not good enough, it's relegation form. Now every single player and the management as well will work harder than ever to get us out of it.

"If we had beaten Blackpool, we would have had some space between us and the bottom four. Now we are in it.''