Football: Chase rejects Spurs' pounds 4m bid

TOTTENHAM'S attempt to buy their way out of the relegation mire by paying pounds 4m for the Norwich striker, Chris Sutton, yesterday met with a 'Not for sale' sign from the Carrow Road chairman, Robert Chase.

Chase, who angered Norwich fans with the recent pounds 2.25m sale of winger Ruel Fox to Newcastle, said: 'He is not going anywhere. Four million pounds would not be enough to take Sutton away from Carrow Road and I suggest that Spurs look elsewhere for a striker.'

The England Under-21 cap, who has scored 24 goals this season, has also been monitored by Arsenal and Blackburn. Yesterday he dismissed Spurs' interest: 'A move has to be right for Norwich and me, and joining Spurs was not.'

Osvaldo Ardiles, the Spurs manager, has until Thursday week, the transfer deadline, to find another striker. However, he will find other teams' demands set very high after Sugar's admission that the club have pounds 4m to spend.

Colin Hill, the Leicester defender, has been recalled for Bryan Hamilton's first match as Northern Ireland manager against Romania at Windsor Park, Belfast, next Wednesday.

NORTHERN IRELAND SQUAD (v Romania, Windsor Park, 23 March): Wright (Nottm Forest), Fettis (Hull); Hill (Leicester), Donaghy (Chelsea), Rowland (West Ham), Fleming, Taggart (both Barnsley), Hughes (Strasbourg), Lomas (Man City), Gray (Sunderland), O'Neill (Hibs), Morrow (Arsenal), Magilton, Dowie (both Southampton), Wilson (Notts Co), Dennison (Wolves), Black (Nottm Forest), Quinn (Reading), McBride (Glenavon).