Football: Cottee and Burrows complete swap deal

TONY COTTEE returned to his East End roots last night after West Ham and Everton completed a swap deal that sent David Burrows back to Merseyside. It is six years since Cottee, 29, headed for Goodison in a then record pounds 2.2m transfer, while Burrows has been at Upton Park for only 12 months after leaving Liverpool.

Cottee makes his reappearance for the Hammers at Anfield on Saturday and Burrows, 24, also faces a demanding debut away to Blackburn. Burrows, who has signed a three-year deal, regards Merseyside as his home, despite being born in the West Midlands. 'I've grown up on Merseyside, my best years have been here and I am looking forward to playing up here again,' he said.

He added that he was not unhappy at West Ham but he was having family problems living in the London area.

Cottee is regarded as having had a raw deal at Goodison where he was perhaps recognised more by the fans than the management. Everton, meanwhile, must pay a slight cash adjustment.

Liverpool have agreed to let Julian Dicks play his first team football elsewhere on a temporary basis. The unsettled left-back had talks with his manager, Roy Evans, yesterday and emerged happy with the short-term arrangement.

Vinnie Jones has taken over the captaincy of Wimbledon after manager Joe Kinnear turned to one of the club's favourite sons following Dean Holdsworth's transfer demand.

'I didn't particularly want the job,' Jones said. 'But I have sat back long enough watching people trying to destroy the club. We have to get the ship back to normal. Any mutineers will be very quickly thrown off.'