STEVE HOWARD admits the chance to start enjoying his football again away from Hartlepool United was too good to turn down.

The striker returned to Pools last summer as Neale Cooper's marquee signing, but has suffered a miserable campaign at Victoria Park.

While Pools have long been looking at relegation from League One, and the drop could be confirmed at the weekend, Howard has not fired in front of goal.

He moved to Sheffield Wednesday on loan last week until the end of the season after scoring just three times in 36 games this season. Two of them came in the 3-2 win at Sheffield United over Christmas, at a time when The Blades were rumoured to be after his services.

Howard, 36, admitted The Owls had had a long-standing interest in him: "It got to the stage where I thought I can't turn this down anymore.

"The lack of resources at Hartlepool was hard to take and taken its toll this season," he said. "It has been a grind and hasn't helped them.

"Sheffield Wednesday are a massive club. I had an opportunity I could not turn down.

"Dave (Jones) phoned and said come and do a job for me, enjoy yourself and that was the biggest pull for me."

Howard, who started his career at Pools in the mid-90s before making a name for himself as a Championship striker, is under contract at Pools for another season, and is understood to have the option of an extra year.

He added: "I just want to enjoy myself and see what happens.

"I will do my bit wherever the boss wants me to play. I've come to help the team out. It is up to the boss whether I play.

"I want to start playing football with a smile on my face which I haven't done for a while. I thoroughly enjoyed myself at Bristol City (on Easter Monday) and it has given me a boost so I am well happy."

He added: "We can stay up, without a shadow of a doubt, we'll be fine if we keep playing the way we have the last two games.

"There's a great set of lads here and everyone is in there fighting together.''

Simon Walton is available for the remainder of the season, after Pools' appeal against his red card from the Good Friday game with MK Dons was upheld.

He was sent-off for violent conduct after referee Jeremy Simpson decreed the midfielder stamped on Dons' Patrick Bamford.

Pools' reserves yesterday drew 1-1 with Shrewsbury, Luke James scoring.

Pools: Rafferty, Brown, Jones, Walker, Buddle, Rowbotham, Rutherford (66), Edwards, James, Hawkins, Boagey (Harbottle 78).