Football / World Cup USA '94: Americans set for Wembley

TERRY VENABLES is poised to begin his two-year build-up to the European Championship by taking on the United States.

It will give the new England coach the chance to erase one of the worst memories of Graham Taylor's ill-fated reign - the 2-0 humilitation by the Americans in Boston last summer.

Bora Milutinovic's side are pencilled in for Wembley on 17 September, replacing a planned friendly against another of the impressive World Cup sides, Switzerland.

'It's a fairly good possibility at the moment,' the US spokesman, Jim Trecker, said. 'The squad is going to Italy in the early autumn to play several club sides and we would love to add in a visit to Wembley. Discussions are well advanced.' One American who appears to be on his way to England is the hippy stopper, Alexi Lalas, poised for a move to Newcastle.

An autograph book signed by 11 of the 1958 Manchester United team just days before the Munich air crash will be auctioned on 2 August. Seven of the players who signed the book died in the tragedy, including Duncan Edwards and David Pegg.

Pegg collected the autographs for their unnamed owner, then a young fan, a few days before the crash, the London auctioneers, Bonhams, said yesterday.