BASKETBALL; Bullets sign Considine

THE ENGLAND internationals, Mark Considine and Ian Whyte, neither of whom had a club at the start of the week, are lined up to be opponents tonight when Birmingham Bullets face Newcastle Eagles in the Budweiser League at Aston Villa Leisure Centre.

Considine signed for Bullets yesterday after being released by the Spanish club Granada, the latest stopover in seven years playing on the Continent for the Leicester-born player.

Whyte is on a temporary contract to cover for the 6ft 10in Scott Wilkie, who broke an arm in last weekend's defeat at Thames Valley Tigers. The 27-year-old, who has played 40 times for England, compared with just three by the globe- trotting Considine, trained with both Eagles and Bullets during the summer.

"Ian has been released by his Greek club and we hope he can do a job for us," said the Eagles coach, Craig Lynch. "He knows our players and he's aware of my approach."

The Bullet's capture of the 30-year-old Considine brought an upbeat end to a week which had started with the club facing a ban on their American player, Fabulous Flournoy, after his fight with Hilroy Thomas of Leicester City Riders last weekend.

Birmingham's problems increased when Neville Austin, another England international, left to join the Belgian club Bree, and they were still short of one American player after earlier releasing Anthony Charles. But clearance arrived for his replacement Chuck Guittar who makes his debut tonight.

Derby Storm are waiting for a work permit for their new American Maurice Robinson.