Football: Cash setback for Collymore

Frank Clark, the Nottingham Forest manager, yesterday insisted justice had been done after Stan Collymore's attempt to win a pounds 400,000-plus claim against his former club was thrown out by the Premier League.

Collymore, 24, maintained he was entitled to five per cent of the British- record pounds 8.5m fee Liverpool paid when he left Forest, declaring the payment was due because he had not requested a transfer.

The FA Premier League board was not "persuaded" by Collymore's version of events and that Forest were therefore not obliged to pay out. However, Forest have been instructed to pay an outstanding signing-on fee of pounds 150,000 agreed when Collymore moved from Southend for pounds 2.2m in June 1993.

Forest insisted the striker had engineered his transfer to Liverpool, even though a formal request was never put in writing. "I don't think it's a case of being happy," Clark said. "Justice has been done. There are no winners and no losers."

Sheffield Wednesday are set to offer Chris Waddle a new contract, but are unlikely to grant his wish of a free transfer unless they are forced to do so in the wake of the Bosman case.

The 35-year-old winger, whose current deal ends this summer, has said he cannot see himself remaining at Hillsborough next season.

"We have a duty to our supporters either to offer him a new contract, which we are likely to do, or seek the compensation to which we are entitled if he leaves," David Pleat, the Wednesday manager said. "What we can't lose sight of as a club is that Celtic offered us pounds 850,000 for him less than 12 weeks ago."

Pleat will be watching the case of Toddy Orlygsson, who could be the first player to move for nothing in post-Bosman Britain.

Orlygsson has signed for Oldham after rejecting a contract at Stoke and the pounds 400,000 rated midfielder may go for nothing. Oldham have offered pounds 100,000, but the Football League tribunal has been put back to 9 January by which time there will be a clear ruling from Uefa about "free agents".

Manchester United could soon have another Frenchman on their books if their manager, Alex Ferguson, can persuade William Prunier to leave Bordeaux in a pounds 1m move. The 27-year-old centre-half has had a trial in United's reserves and is a friend of Eric Cantona from their days at Auxerre.

Mark McGhee is set to complete his first purchase as Wolves manager today by paying QPR pounds 1m for Simon Osborn. McGhee, who brought Everton's Vinny Samways in on loan yesterday, is also trying to sign Alexei Mikhailichenko from Rangers for pounds 500,000.

Mark Patterson will leave Bolton today in a swap deal with Sheffield United's Nathan Blake. The midfielder is valued at pounds 300,000, with Bolton paying an extra pounds 700,000 for the 23-year-old striker Blake.

Ian Wright is to be questioned by the Football Association over comments he made about referees. Wright is alleged to have claimed on Arsenal Clubcall that all referees were "incompetent at the moment".