Mahon move hits hitch

Alan Mahon's proposed loan move to Blackburn Rovers was thrown into doubt yesterday when it emerged that his former club Tranmere Rovers might be required to give permission for the deal to go through.

Because he is returning to Britain less than a year after leaving to join Sporting Lisbon on a "Bosman" transfer, Tranmere are entitled to a say in the deal as Mahon is under 24. Up to that age, a direct move to another British club involves the payment of compensation and the player must stay away at least 12 months for that entitlement to be entirely waived.

Nevertheless, Mahon was at Blackburn's training ground yesterday, apparently on the verge of completing a loan move that would last until the end of the season.

Both the club's chief executive John Williams and manager Graeme Souness, however, acknowledged that there were difficulties to be overcome before the player's registration could go through. "There is a lot of extra paperwork involved in this one," Williams said, "but we are working on it . . . the manager is very keen for Alan to join us".

The Dubliner has made little impression at Sporting Lisbon since joining last summer along with Phil Babb, but insisted he was surprised by the fact that he was already leaving the Portuguese champions. Meanwhile, Longford Town players have taken both of the main monthly awards for November with Stephen O'Brien being voted the Eircom/Soccer Writers' Player of the Month and Stephen Kelly lifting the National League United award.

And Bohemians manager Roddy Collins has become the latest National League boss to receive a touchline ban from the FAI disciplinary committee. Collins will be forced to watch his team's first two games after Christmas from the stands with midfielder Kevin Hunt joining him for the first match.

Among the other players to receive single-match suspensions yesterday were Eamonn McLoughlin (UCD), Neil Fitzhenry and Shane Bradley (both Finn Harps), Pat Fenlon (Shelbourne) and Stephen Napier (Cork).