Football: Police study Vieira incident

POLICE ARE investigating an incident after the final whistle of Saturday's tempestuous Premiership fixture at Sheffield Wednesday involving the Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira.

Fans at Hillsborough claim Vieira made a V-sign as he walked off the pitch and was then involved in a confrontation with a policeman.

A police spokesman said: "No player has been arrested. The facts of the incident are being examined with a view to establish what action, if any, the police and the FA need to take."

One steward said, after Vieira had made the gesture, a policeman placed a hand on his shoulder and the Frenchman swung out an arm - apparently not realising it was a police officer.

Glenn Hoddle will only start talks over a new contract if England reach the 2000 European Championship, his agent, Dennis Roach, said yesterday.

The England coach has almost two years of a four-year deal to run and the Football Association is understood to be keen to see him agree a two- year extension to take in the 2002 World Cup.

One weekend report said that Hoddle had delayed discussing his contract, but Roach said: "I'd be wrong to say that the matter has not cropped up. There's enthusiasm from all parties but Glenn's decision is that those talks will take place only if we qualify for the European Championship."

Stephane Guivarc'h may be the first Newcastle payer to be sold by Ruud Gullit. The French World Cup striker is having talks with Paris St-Germain about a pounds 2.7m move.

The Australian defender, Craig Moore, is leaving Rangers in a pounds 750,000 move south to join Crystal Palace.

WORTHINGTON CUP Third-round draw: Middlesbrough v Everton; Norwich v Bolton; Derby v Arsenal; Crewe v Blackburn; Leeds v Bradford City; Luton v Coventry; Tranmere v Newcastle; Birmingham v Wimbledon; Barnsley v Bournemouth; Manchester Utd v Bury; Charlton v Leicester; Nottingham Forest v Cambridge Utd; Liverpool v Fulham; Chelsea v Aston Villa; Northampton v Tottenham; Sunderland v Grimsby. (Ties to be played 27 or 28 October).

Hillsborough's `volcano', page 26