Yorath's reign over

Ronnie Moore and George Burley have emerged as the leading candidates to take over as Sheffield Wednesday's manager following Terry Yorath's resignation yesterday.

The Rotherham manager Moore is believed to be the Owls' first choice after admitting he was restless at Millmoor, but Burley, recently sacked by Ipswich Town, is also sure to be considered by Wednesday after he yesterday rejected the chance to take over at Stoke City.

In succumbing to intense pressure, Yorath became the sixth manager in five years to pass through the financially troubled Hillsbrough club. Wednesday's home defeat to Millwall, the Owls' fifth defeat in six games which left them third from bottom of the First Divison, proved decisive.

If the writing had been on the wall for Yorath, Stoke had a surprise when Burley failed to turn up to the press conference which the club had arranged to unveil him as their new manager. The stumbling block was financial. "I had an open mind last night and this morning when I spoke with the chairman, but it had to be right for both parties and it wasn't," Burley said. Stoke were last night in talks with the former Portsmouth and Gillingham manager Tony Pulis.