Eye socket injury ends Bjornebye's career

Stig Inge Bjornebye, the Blackburn Rovers defender, has been forced to retire because of a severe eye injury. The 33-year-old Norwegian suffered a fractured eye socket in a training-ground accident 11 months ago.

"It was a terrible injury and presented me with a massive challenge but I have always been positive I could overcome it," Bjornebye said. "The will has always been there but in the end it has not proved realistic. I didn't want to be just a footballer, I wanted to play at Premiership level twice a week. It's clear now that's not possible."

Bjornebye came to England in 1992 to join Liverpool where he played around 175 first team matches before moving to Blackburn in 2000. The Norwegian helped Blackburn to their League Cup victory last year but has played only once this season. He has 73 international caps and represented his country at the 1994 and 1998 World Cup finals.

The Rovers' manager, Graeme Souness, is in talks to sign Notts County's goalkeeper Saul Deeny. The teenager has already had a trial with Rovers and the clubs are discussing a deal to take him at the end of the season. The deal could work out at around £1m in instalments.

The Fulham forward, Barry Hayles, is in line to play again this season after cutting three months off his estimated recovery time from a serious neck injury. He had been ruled out until July after surgery on vertebrae at the top of his spine but has now set the 19 April home date with Newcastle as the target for his comeback.

The Bolton manager, Sam Allardyce, watched the AEK Athens striker Demis Nikolaidis, who scored against Olympiakos in the Athens derby. Bolton could acquire him for about £2.5m in the summer, which will be within their budget if they stay in the Premiership.

Birmingham's bid to sign French veteran goalkeeper Bernard Lama has hit a snag over his agent's demand for guaranteed first-team football.

Lama is training with the club after flying in on Monday for talks about joining as an emergency signing for the rest of the season. However, Lama's adviser, Bruno Satin, has asked for an agreement that the 39-year-old would play in games ahead of Ian Bennett.

Sheffield United's FA Cup hero Nick Montgomery has capped a brilliant season with a call-up for Scotland's under-21 side thanks to team-mate Stuart McCall. The midfielder will be in the next squad after coach Rainer Bonhof spoke to McCall about him and saw him put on a power show in a recent First Division match.

The Football Association plans to make the decision on their new chief executive to replace Adam Crozier by the end of this month. Interviews should be concluded this week.