Football: Fry tries to set up Dicks loan deal

(First Edition)

JULIAN DICKS' desire to be free of his 'Anfield hell', as described by one tabloid headline, could involve a temporary move back to his old stamping ground at St Andrews. Birmingham City have been given permission to speak to their former full-back, whom Liverpool are prepared to loan to anyone who can afford his reputed pounds 6,000 a week wages.

Such renumeration would appear to be beyond the resources of a Endsleigh League Second Division club like Birmingham, but their manager, Barry Fry, apparently has the backing of the club's owner, David Sullivan, and his managing director, Karren Brady.

'Roy Evans has said 'OK' and now it is up to the player,' Fry said. 'He's out of the picture at Liverpool and miserable. We are giving him a chance to smile again.'

Dicks, 26, who was an apprentice at St Andrews, played 89 League games for the club between 1986 and 1988 before moving to West Ham United.

The Stoke chairman, Peter Coates, yesterday ousted directors Bob Kenyon and Paul Wright at an extraordinary general meeting of the First Division club. Kenyon had wanted to take overall control from Coates but failed to come up with the money, believed to be around pounds 7m.

Coates, who named Michael Moores and David Edwards as replacement directors, said: 'These appointments open up a new chapter in the club's history and completely bury Mr Kenyon's attempts to take power.'

Geoff Thomas, the Wolves' midfielder, is to have further surgery on the knee injury he suffered a year ago.