Football: Dicks back at West Ham

JULIAN DICKS yesterday returned to his former club, West Ham, in a low-cost deal. Terms have been agreed with Liverpool and the full-back should play against Southampton tomorrow, having passed a medical test.

The 26-year-old defender left West Ham 13 months ago in an exchange transfer involving Mike Marsh and David Burrows. Dicks was valued at more than pounds 2m. Although the Hammers have not revealed the terms of his move back, it is understood that Liverpool will receive a pounds 100,000 down- payment plus a further pounds 50,000 for every 25 games he plays.

Alan Buckley became the 11th manager of West Bromwich Albion in 13 years yesterday, after six years in charge at Grimsby Town. He takes over from Keith Burkinshaw, dismissed on Monday. 'I cannot guarantee success, I cannot wave a magic wand, but there are a lot of good, talented players at Albion,' Buckley said.

Albion's change of team chief will cost them about pounds 500,000 in compensation, both to Grimsby and to Burkinshaw and his No 2, Dennis Mortimer, also sacked.

Kenny Hibbitt, dismissed by Albion's neighbours, Walsall, earlier this season, may soon replace Eddie May as the manager of Cardiff City - if a consortium led by Jim Cadman, a Midlands businessman, succeeds in bringing forward its purchase of the club from the present owner, Rick Wright.

However, Wright said yesterday: 'The consortium are supposed to be buying the club on 31 December and nothing has changed in that, or in Eddie May's position as team manager.'