Football: Forest seek Premier loan

NOTTINGHAM FOREST have asked the Premier League for a pounds 4m loan, using Pierre Van Hooijdonk as collateral. The Dutchman has been on strike, refusing to rejoin Forest after they rejected his transfer request.

Forest want the cash to sign a replacement and plan to repay the money when they sell Van Hooijdonk. "The Premier League will never agree with this," Van Hooijdonk said from the Netherlands. "It's unrealistic and silly. If Forest get permission it will open the door for every club to ask for loans."

Walter Smith, the Everton manager, launched his clearance sale yesterday by selling the centre-half, Carl Tiler, to Charlton for pounds 700,000. Tiler agreed to the switch after Sheffield United pulled out.

Crystal Palace have bought the Swedish international, Mathias Svensson, from the Austrian side, FC Tirol. The Eagles have also agreed terms with Rangers for Craig Moore.

Richard Littlejohn, whose consortium have had a takeover bid for Tottenham rejected, and Alan Sugar, continued their war of words yesterday, the Spurs chairman responding to being described as "stupid" and "greedy" in Littlejohn's column.

"His article is full of inaccuracies," Sugar said. "If and when Tottenham needs a new owner, it would have to be a big corporation with deep pockets and huge resources and not, with respect, a group of passionate fans with a sarcastic, career- enhancing media mouthpiece as their spokesman."

Queen's Park Rangers are unlikely to appoint Iain Dowie or Vinnie Jones, both of whom want the job, to replace the sacked Ray Harford. The chairman, Chris Wright, says he will make an appointment by 17 October.