DERBY COUNTY SIGN DAVID PREECE

Football

Derby County have signed the 32-year-old former England B midfielder David Preece on a free transfer from Luton Town.

West Bromwich Albion have signed midfielder Shaun Cunnington from Sunderland for pounds 220,000 and goalkeeper Paul Reece following his release by Notts County. They join another new signing, midfielder Dave Gilbert, who joined Albion in midweek from Grimsby for a fee to be determined by a tribunal.

John Burridge, the 43-year-old goalkeeper who played in the Premiership last season with Manchester City, has joined Notts County on a non-contract basis.

Southend have paid pounds 150,000 to the United States Soccer Federation for the 25-year-old American international defender, Michael Lapper.

Paul Van Himst, the former Belgium striker and now national coach, was named the country's player of the century yesterday. Van Himst polled 1,403 votes to win the award.

TRANSFERS: Gus Uhlenbeek (winger) TOP Oss (Neth) to Ipswich (pounds 100,000); Paul Dalton (winger) Plymouth to Huddersfield (pounds 225,000); Chris Billy (winger) Huddersfield to Plymouth (pounds 100,000); Gary Clayton (midfielder) Huddersfield to Plymouth (free); David Preece (midfielder) Luton to Derby (free); Dave Gilbert (midfielder) Grimsby to West Bromwich (tribunal); Steve Corica (winger) Sydney Marconi to Leicester (trial).

THURSDAY'S RESULTS: European Cup-Winner's Cup Preliminary round first leg: Derry City 1 (McCourt 44) Lokomotiv Sofia (Bul) 0; Shakhtyor Donetsk (Ukr) 4 (Ohtyrkin 10, Matveyev 20, Orbu 3, 90) Linfield (Ewing 48); Wrexham 0 Petrolul Ploiesti (Rom) 0; Zalgiris Vilnius (Lith) 2 Mura Murska Sobota (Sloven) 0; Dag Liepaja 1 (Lat) Lantana Tallinn (Est) 2; Maccabi Haifa (Isr) 4 KI Klakksvik (Faroe) 0; GKS Katowice (Pol) 2 Ararat Erevan (Arm) 0; Tiligul Tiraspol (Mol) 0 Sion (Swit) 0; Dynamo Minsk (Bela) 1 Molde (Nor) 1; TPS Turku (Fin) 1 Teuta Durres 0; Hapoel Nicosia (Cyp) 3 Neftchi Baku (Azer) 0; Valletta (Malta) 0 Inter Bratislava (Slovak) 0; Vaduz (Liech) 0 Hradec Kralove 5; Vac Samsung (Hung) 1 Sileks (Mac) 1; Obilic Belgrade (Yug) 0 Dynamo Batumi (Geo) 1. Libertadores Cup semi-final first leg: Emelec (Ec) 0 Gremio Porto Alegre (Bra) 0. Friendly matches: Arsenal 0 Internazionale 0; Celtic 0 Liverpool 0; Hibernian 0 Middlesbrough 0; Shelbourne 1 Leeds Utd 3; VS Rugby 1 Derby County 5; Stevenage 3 Chelsea XI 1; Altrincham 1 Manchester Utd XI 1.