With long-term injuries to first-team strikers Adam Boyd and Joel Porter, Pools manager Martin Scott found his side short of goals in November 2005. He acted to bring in young midfielder/striker Dean McDonald on a month`s loan from Ipswich Town. McDonald had been given his Ipswich debut earlier in the season but found himself out of the side with a number of players returning from injury. Ipswich manager Joe Royle saw the loan move as an opportunity to allow McDonald to continue gaining first team experience and the youngster made his Pools debut as a second-half substitute at Gillingham. He started the next five games, scoring once against Bournemouth, before returning to Portman Road.