Injured Upson tied to Blues until 2008

Premiership news:  Birmingham have formally exercised the two-year option on Matthew Upson's contract and manager Steve Bruce is backing the defender to overcome the ruptured Achilles tendon which will sideline him for at least six months.

Upson, whose three-and-a-half-year deal was due to expire in June, is now contracted to the midlands club until the summer of 2008. He was due to undergo surgery today to repair the Achilles tendon.

Bruce believes it will be a year before Upson fully recovers from the setback suffered in the warm-up before Sunday's derby with Aston Villa.

But he is confident past injury experiences - Upson suffered a broken leg and damaged cruciate knee ligaments when at Arsenal - will help him come through his latest injury blow.

Bruce said: "We have already exercised the two-year option on Matty's contract. He is going to be out for at least six months and, as we've learned with others, it will take him another six months after that before we see the 'real' Matt Upson.

"But I am sure he will recover and it helps that he is a strong character and mentally tough. He's come back from breaking his leg and doing his cruciate knee ligaments before and he will come back again.

"He has been a special player for us and for three years his partnership with Kenny Cunningham was a key part in Blues establishing themselves in the Premiership.

"He came to us and got in the England squad and I've always regarded him as the best naturally left-sided central defender in the Premiership. He will come back from this."

Liverpool have been constantly linked with Upson who would command a fee of at least £5 million.

Charlton defender Hermann Hreidarsson has been charged with violent conduct by the Football Association following an incident involving Fulham's Luis Boa Morte.

The 31-year-old Hreidarsson was not booked or sent off during the 2-1 defeat at Craven Cottage on April 15.

Hreidarsson has until 6pm today to respond to the charge, with an FA disciplinary commission due to hear the charge tomorrow.

Former West Ham and Ipswich manager John Lyall died suddenly last night, aged 66. He was acknowledged as one of the finest coaches of his generation and spent 33 years at Upton Park, succeeding Ron Greenwood as manager in 1974.

Lyall, who died of a heart attack, attended the funeral of Greenwood, his mentor and close friend, only two months ago. Between them they were responsible for taking the Hammers into the modern era.

He remains the last West Ham manager to win a major trophy — the FA Cup in 1980. The Hammers play Middlesbrough in the semi-final of the cup on Sunday.