Johnson heads for Forest

Leicester have pulled out of the race with Nottingham Forest to sign Andy Johnson. Forest have agreed a pounds 2.2m fee for the out-of-contract Norwich midfielder and had threatened legal action when O'Neill tried to gazump them.

Stoke have offered Mike Sheron pounds 1m over four years, a club record, in an attempt to keep him. Birmingham and Queen's Park Rangers both want the pounds 2.5m-rated striker, who turned down a two-year extension to his current deal last week.

Aberdeen are to give the former England midfielder, David Rocastle, the chance to rebuild his career. The 30-year-old, who did not play for Chelsea's first team at all last season, is available for pounds 150,000 and will have a two-week trial at Pittodrie.

Willie Carson, who joined Swindon's board of directors last season, is to take charge of public relations at the First Division club. The former champion jockey has also been appointed as an associate director, while Swindon have named a new chairman, Rikki Hunt, promoted from director of football.

Graeme Souness is to have the help of Gainluigi Lentini, formerly the world's most expensive player, as he tries to take Torino back into Serie A. The 28-year-old striker cost a reputed pounds 12m when he moved to Milan in 1992.

Rangers have counted themselves out of the race to sign Fiorentina's Swedish midfielder, Stefan Schwarz. The former Arsenal player had been linked with a pounds 4m move to Ibrox.

The entire board of the Scottish Third Division club East Stirling have resigned following the launch of an investigation by the Inland Revenue. Chairman Willie Whyte, vice-chairman Marshall Peterson and director Alex Mitchell tendered their resignations at a board meeting earlier this week.

However, a club spokesman, Tom Kirk, insisted: "There is no question of any dishonesty or criminal activity on the part of our former directors but they felt that given the circumstances of the Inland Revenue investigation it was time to resign. The club continues to function and will appoint new directors soon."