Parkin poised for Barnsley job

Steve Parkin's move to become Barnsley's new manager is being delayed by a dispute with Rochdale. Barnsley want to have Parkin in charge for their game at Preston tonight, but Rochdale are not satisfied with the compensation that they have been offered so far.

Rochdale also revealed that Parkin, who has guided the club into second place in the Third Division, has a clause in the three-year contract he signed before the 2000-01 season allowing him to talk to any club from a higher division.

However, despite claims by Rochdale that the move was as good as settled, Barnsley's chairman, John Dennis said: "At the moment it is only speculation, and Mr Parkin is not the manager of Barnsley and is still the manager at Rochdale."

He did say his club are hoping to have someone installed in the job by the weekend and added: "Mr Parkin has been the subject of great speculation, and that speculation is not a million miles away from the mark. If he were to become the manager there is still a long way to go."

Mick Wadsworth has been installed as the new head coach of Oldham Athletic, following last week's departure of Andy Ritchie. Iain Dowie is being lined up as his assistant.

The former champion jockey Willie Carson wants Roy Evans to remain as Swindon's director of football if he succeeds in his takeover of the Second Division club. Town's chairman Danny Donegan, a close friend of the player-coach Neil Ruddock, was ousted at a High Court hearing on Monday, and Carson, who heads a consortium, hopes to take charge at an EGM in four weeks' time.

"The consortium would love Roy Evans and Neil Ruddock to stay. Roy Evans has got the team playing nice, attractive football, and we're doing better than last year," Carson said.

Everton will offer the chance of Premiership football to Manchester United's Jesper Blomqvist. The Swedish winger has spent the past two years trying to overcome knee trouble and playing in United's reserves. Everton hope to complete the £300,000 sale of the goalkeeper Thomas Myhre to the Turkish club Besiktas today.

Leicester City are in talks with Halmstad's Swedish international striker Stefan Selakovic about a £2m move.

Manchester City's move for Robert Jarni is set to collapse. The veteran Croatian left-back's Spanish club Las Palmas have refused to let him leave and pay up the remainder of his contract and demanded extra money from City to cover their losses.Jarni may head for Olympiakos instead.

The Bradford goalkeeper Gary Walsh may miss Saturday's game against Norwich after sustaining back and neck injuries in an accident on the M62. The club's secretary, Jon Pollard, said: "He's not seriously injured but the problem is going to be with whiplash. It tends to kick in after a day or so which is why he'll be doubtful for Saturday."

Stockport have rejected Blackburn's £500,000 bid for the Finnish striker Shefki Kuqi.The First Division strugglers are waiting to see if Rovers will increase their offer for Kuqi, who they signed from the Finnish side Jokerit in January.

Southampton's manager, Gordon Strachan, has ended his £1.5m pursuit of Leeds' David Wetherall.