Hockey to help Dons settle in at new home

Inside Lines

Her indoors, not a footie fan, was aghast when we mentioned that they were moving Wimbledon to Milton Keynes. "Is the Centre Court being dug up like Wembley then," she enquired. No, but Plough Lane is due to be ploughed up so there's no going back for the nomadic Dons. Their caravan seems set to be permanently at MK and the game's first – and we're assured last – such transfer deal may happen in time for next season. Plans are being made to use the international hockey arena, turning it temporarily into a 10,000-seater football stadium, in time for the August kick-off, while the eventual 28,000 state-of-the-art home to accommodate the Milton Keynes Dons, or whatever they'll be called, gets under way. Pete Winkelman, the 44-year-old pop entrepreneur who is one of the prime movers behind the shake-up tells us the hockey stadium arrangement will also give a financial fillip to that cash-strapped sport. When the new stadium at Denbigh is ready in 2004 it will be renamed Wimbledon Park to make any remaining South London-based fans feel more at home. Winkelman says he doesn't want to be "triumphalist". "I feel very sorry for the Wimbledon fans but where else can they go? We'll make them more than welcome here and Milton Keynes will be a great base for League football." There'll be no Wembley woes, either. Finances are in place together with plans to upgrade "Wimbledon Park" to a 45,000-seater eventually, thus making it suitable for internationals, cup semi-finals and, says Winkelman, wishfully, even World Cup matches. At least the missus needn't worry. Wimbledon may be coming to Milton Keynes but Henmania isn't.

Tatchell hits Tyson with gay rights

As well as keeping Messrs Lewis and Tyson at arm's length until Saturday night, Memphis is having to contend with the presence of the British gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell. He is there to challenge Tyson – not to fisticuffs, alas – but to demonstrate against the former champion's "offensive, abusive attitude towards women and gay people". According to Tatchell, Tyson has conducted "a homophobic campaign" against Lewis, who has emphatically denied rumours that he is gay. "I want a meeting with Mike," Tatchell tells us. "I hope he will accept our offer of dialogue and reconciliation and keep bigotry out of boxing." Wish him luck as you wave him goodbye. Tatchell's gay and feminist group wear T-shirts emblazoned: "Victory to Lewis! Knock out Tyson's sexism and homo hatred." On top of all this there's a religious convention in town, with 500 preachers proclaiming another T-shirt message: "Jesus Christ is the undisputed world heavyweight champion." Comforting to know should all hell break loose.

Upper Heyford on the up again

It may – or may not – be an omen but England have just completed an impressive tour of Sweden and at a round ball game, too. OK, so it was volleyball where the idea is to get the ball over the net, not in it. But, traditionally, the Swedes are better at it than our own unsung, under-funded players. The three-sets win by young England women was a bit of a triumph, too, for that DIY "sporting squat" at Upper Heyford where the sport's underprivileged are housed. The volleyball victory follows the world junior silver medal won by Upper Heyford "graduate" Louise Bond-Williams and the Euro-bronze acquired by archer Nicola Simpson, both in Turkey. Not bad for a part of the sporting world that the Lottery doesn't reach, eh?

Audley Harrison insists he is on a learning curve, which may be why he is going back to school. Only this time, it's as a governor. The Olympic super-heavyweight champion, who admits he was twice expelled in his own schooldays, has agreed to join the board of a new school at Brent, in West London.

"I've learned from my own experience at school and I hope the kids feel they can look up to me," he says. Unfortunately, some of his fans are playing truant though. His audience figures have declined steadily over his five fights since over five million watched his pro debut on BBC a year ago. That figure was down to just over two million for his last bout, against Mark Krence. The Beeb may be getting a little edgy, but Big Audley remains unperturbed. He was enjoying himself last night at the York Hall bash to celebrate the MBE awarded to fellow gold medallist Terry Spinks, in company with Britain's only other surviving Olympic boxing champions, Dick McTaggart and Chris Finnegan.

So, Wembley is finally back on track as England's national stadium, or so it would seem. Bullshit out, bulldozers in, now that the German's Westdeutsche Landesbank have come up with the funding.

According to FA chief executive Adam Crozier, the remaining hurdle is the 10-week delay to sort out the fine print. Let's hope Crozier's confidence isn't misplaced. There's still the question of £120 million that some MPs believe should be repaid to Sport England, a bone of contention which that parliamentary rottweiler Gerald Kaufman won't let go. It may be referred to the Lottery ombudsman, thus causing a further delay. Ironic too, that after all the flag-waving, Wembley may end up being Jerry-built.

insidelines@independent.co.uk

Exit Lines

Oh, I'd have sent him home all right, but I'd have shot him first. Brian Clough on how he would have dealt with Roy Keane... Dwight and Fabien could definitely do with some extra coaching from him. Vice girl Caroline Martin compares the scoring prowess of Angus Deayton to Manchester United's Yorke and Barthez, with whom she also alleges affairs... C'est la vie, Des. Rio Ferdinand follows the Senegalese example and gives a French lesson when asked his view on the shock result in the World Cup opener.