Soccer Shorts

Other soccer news in brief

Moat in race to finance Newcastle bid

TYNESIDE BUSINESSMAN Barry Moat is facing a race against time to gain control at Newcastle.

Owner Mike Ashley yesterday granted Moat an extension as he attempts to put together the financial package he will need to table a formal offer for the club.

It is understood he will have until the end of this week to persuade Barclays Bank he can service the €45 million overdraft facility currently in place, and produce the €115 million he will need to end Ashley's ill-fated reign.

The extension was confirmed in a statement issued by the club. It said: "Newcastle United Football Club confirms that it has extended its deadline to Barry Moat to table an offer for the club.

"The extension has been granted to allow Barry Moat and his advisors to conclude funding arrangements with Barclays, current bankers, for the continuation of last season's €45 million facility. This would allow a formal offer to be tabled."

Man charged on Davenport stabbing

A 25-YEAR-OLD man was yesterday charged in connection with a knife attack on West Ham defender Calum Davenport, police said.

Worrell Whitehurst, of Finsley Walk, Derby, was charged with grievous bodily harm after the 26-year-old player was allegedly stabbed in Bedford on Saturday.

Bedfordshire Police said Whitehurst was also charged with causing actual bodily harm to Davenport's 49-year-old mother, as well as driving whilst disqualified and possession of a bladed article.

Whitehurst's pregnant girlfriend, Cara Davenport, 28, the player's sister, was in court.

Davenport yesterday remained in a serious but stable condition while his mother is "recovering well", police added.

FA pursue probe into Al-Ahli brawl

THE FOOTBALL Association in England are expected to make contact with their United Arab Emirates counterparts when the investigation is concluded into Chelsea's training ground brawl with Al-Ahli.

The practice match last week between a Chelsea reserve team and the UAE side was abandoned in the first half following the violence at the Premier League side's Cobham base in Surrey.

The referee's report, which has been filed to the FA, is understood to point the finger at Al-Ahli players being the instigators.

FA officials are still gathering details of the match and they will send their findings to the UAE and they expect action against players guilty of wrongdoing.

Chelsea's players were reportedly assaulted with karate kicks, knee-high tackles and had their hair pulled out and eyes gouged.

The fracas was captured by Chelsea's TV channel but the club have since removed all references to the game from its official website.

Allardyce warns Villa must pay going rate for Warnock

BLACKBURN MANAGER Sam Allardyce has warned Aston Villa they must pay the going rate if they want to sign defender Stephen Warnock.

The left back was dropped for Saturday's defeat to Sunderland after Allardyce revealed the player had been distracted by a bid from the midlanders.

And even though the Rovers boss is resigned to losing Warnock he insists the club will not budge from their valuation of the player.

With Manchester City set to pay a reported €27 million for Everton centre back Joleon Lescott Allardyce believes what they are asking for the player, who can also operate in midfield, is fair.

"I think we levy the value at this summer's market," said Allardyce, who has already played hard-ball with City over striker Roque Santa Cruz to secure a €20.6 million fee.

"You look at the overall players that have been bought - defenders particularly - and you put a valuation around what the market is suggesting it should be."

Greening finally off to Fulham

JONATHAN GREENING yesterday completed his season-long loan move from West Brom to Fulham, with a view to a permanent deal.

The 30-year-old midfielder, who submitted a transfer request in July, has been at the centre of an ongoing saga this summer that has seen Albion reject three previous offers from the Cottagers.

But Roy Hodgson's perseverance paid off last Thursday after it emerged the west-London club had finally got their man, subject to a medical.

And after seeing his former captain finalise a switch to Craven Cottage, West Brom head coach Roberto Di Matteo said: "Jonno has been a big player for this club and, as you well know, we made every effort to keep him.

"But eventually we felt the deal on the table was a very good one for us and we decided to let him go. We wish him good luck."

North recall striker Ward

SHEFFIELD UNITED striker Jamie Ward has been recalled to the Northern Ireland squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Poland and Slovakia.

Ward, who scored in the 3-1 victory at Reading on Saturday, sat out the draw with Israel in a friendly.

Manager Nigel Worthington has named five strikers in all with record scorer David Healy, Kyle Lafferty, Martin Paterson and Andrew Little all called up.

Maik Taylor looks likely to continue in goal even though he has lost his place to Joe Hart at Birmingham.

SQUAD:Taylor (Birmingham), Mannus (Shamrock Rovers), Tuffey (Partick); Craigan (Motherwell), Hughes (Fulham), McAuley (Ipswich), McGivern (Manchester City), Baird (Fulham), Evans (Manchester United), McCartney (Sunderland), Coates (Crusaders); McCann (Scunthorpe), Brunt (West Brom), McGinn (Celtic), Clingan (Coventry), Johnson (Birmingham), Davis (Rangers); Healy (Sunderland), Little (Rangers), Paterson (Burnley), Lafferty (Rangers), Ward (Sheffield United).