Wimbledon rumours resurface

FAI general secretary Bernard O'Byrne reiterated the association's opposition to the proposed relocation of Wimbledon football club to Dublin yesterday. O'Byrne said that the move would, "from a social point of view and a football point of view, be absolutely disastrous".

O'Byrne's comments, made on RTE's Six One news, were prompted by a story in the Lon- don Evening Standard which suggested that the FAI would have little hope of success should they become embroiled in a legal battle over the move - this is disputed by the association. The report speculated that the move could become a reality in the year 2000.

That would be roughly in line with recent reports that English Premiership officials had privately indicated their willingness to allow such a move to take place ahead of the 2001/02 season.

The true preference of the club's owners remains unclear, however. One of two Norweigan investors who bought a majority stake in the club earlier this year made directly conflicting remarks on the subject last month.

Bjorn Gjelsten said first that the Dublin move was being pursued; then, a couple of days later, he said that a new stadium in west London would be the ideal new home for the club.

Club chairman Sam Hammam, meanwhile, has not commented publicly on the matter since telling The Irish Times at the time of the club's sale that Dublin was one of several options being considered.

Barnsley defender Dean Jones has become the latest player to fail a drugs test. Jones (20), becomes the first player at a Premiership club to go before an English FA commission after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.

Jones, yet to feature in the Oakwell first team but a regular in the reserves, tested positive for traces of amphetamine in a random test at the club's training ground on October 27th.

It emerged yesterday that soccer's increased profile and bigmoney wages have put many of its leading players among the top British sporting earners this year. According to the BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Yearbook 1998, published early next month, 14 footballers take home more than £1 million a year, with injured England striker Alan Shearer pocketing £3.5 million as the sport's top earner.

Britain's biggest sports earner was heavyweight star Lennox Lewis, who earned all but £150,000 of his £6.4 million from three fights.