Football: Ardiles shows Durie the door: Tottenham's Scottish striker goes on transfer list as Manchester United sell Wallace to Birmingham

GORDON DURIE paid the price for the verbal volley he unleashed at Ossie Ardiles during a Coca-Cola Cup tie last week when he was placed on the transfer list yesterday by the Tottenham manager, who is starting to display the sort of no- nonsense approach to management of which his own employer, Alan Sugar, would approve.

Durie, who was fined two weeks' wages for the outburst, will be leaving, however, not so much because of the obscenities he hurled at Ardiles when substituted in the match against Burnley at White Hart Lane as his alleged lack of commitment to Spurs' cause.

'The main reason for my decision is that Durie really does not want to play for us,' Ardiles said. His action spoiled the image of the game as well. We have to be conscious of that.'

Spurs could probably have done with the Scottish international, particularly in the absence of Darren Anderton, in today's top-of-the-table match at Old Trafford against Manchester United, who themselves parted company yesterday with Danny Wallace.

The former England international, bought by Alex Ferguson for pounds 1.2m, joined Birmingham City for pounds 250,000. The little winger, who played just 36 games in four disappointing years at Old Trafford, will make his debut today against Watford at St Andrews.

Graham Turner, who has had three years longer to make an impact at Molineux and spent pounds 2.4m on players this summer, could also be on his way if Wolves' results - two wins in 12 games - do not soon show a marked improvement. That is no longer speculation but fact.

Sir Jack Hayward, the club's benefactor, said largely for the benefit of the fans: 'All of us are disappointed at the results. I know that many of you feel that a change of manager is needed to bring about better results. You may be right. But surely the time to judge Graham Turner is when he has all his team fit and playing again.'

Diego Maradona will return as captain when he plays for Argentina in the two-leg World Cup play- off against Australia in Sydney on 31 October and Buenos Aires on 17 November.

Gary Blissett, Wimbledon's former Brentford striker, is to be sued for damages by John Uzzell over an incident two years ago which left the former Torquay captain with a shattered cheekbone.

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