The Screamer...It's the talk of football

Brian Laws emerged from a Sheffield Wednesday board meeting with his job intact and budget increased.

Laws, manager of the country's only team without a point, had been told he must offload players before recruiting.

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But he said: "The urgency is such that the board are allowing me to bring players in and pay later.

"It was a very constructive meeting and I've come away with the support of the board."

Wednesday have signed Derby defender Michael Johnson, 34, on loan, while Scunthorpe midfielder Cleveland Taylor and Sunderland's Graham Kavanagh also interest Laws.

Ex-Wednesday player Paul Warhurst is set for his first manager's job with Conference side Northwich Victoria.

DUBLIN APPEAL FALLS FLAT

Dion Dublin will miss Norwich's next three games after the FA rejected his appeal over his sending-off in Tuesday's 2-0 defeat at Charlton following a bust-up with Danny Mills.

BOND SUES NEWCASTLE FOR BREACH OF CONTRACT

Kevin Bond has started a £250,000 legal battle against Newcastle for breach of contract after he was sacked from his £150,000-a-year job as assistant manager.

He was dismissed after a BBC Panorama documentary about alleged bungs in the football industry, in which he featured, and he is also suing the BBC for libel in a separate case.

Bond, now manager of Bournemouth, said he had an excellent reputation before the Panorama and there was no evidence he had received corrupt payments.

CHRIS TELLS McCLAREN TO BACK OFF

Wigan manager Chris Hutchings has warned Steve McClaren that Emile Heskey will not be rushed into an early comeback to help England's cause.

The striker is out for eight weeks after surgery on a broken foot.

McClaren has already phoned Heskey to find out when he is due to return to action, with England facing Estonia and Russia next month.

But Hutchings said: "We have to make sure he doesn't break down again. We have to make sure he is right."

HYYPIA UP FOR THE FIGHT

Sami Hyypia vowed to make up for the loss of Daniel Agger yesterday and insisted that, a month from his 34th birthday, he could cope with Liverpool's demanding fixture schedule.

The centre back can expect an automatic place alongside Jamie Carragher after Agger and Xabi Alonso were ruled out for six weeks by broken metatarsals.

Of the 1-1 draw in Porto, he said: "Maybe it was the kick up the backside we needed."

PERICARD ALL TAGGED-UP

Stoke striker Vincent Pericard will have to wear a tag when he is released from prison on Monday.

The ex-Portsmouth man, 24, has served a month for perverting the course of justice after claiming his stepfather Jack had been at the wheel when his car was clocked doing 103 mph.

Stoke need permission to play Pericard in evening games because of a curfew.