Football: Wright outburst may still lead to court case

POLICE have completed their investigation into an alleged outburst at fans by the Arsenal striker Ian Wright following the club's 3-1 home defeat by Blackburn last December.

Scotland Yard officers, who took a host of statements from supporters following the game at Highbury, could have thrown out the case but they decided to submit a file to the Crown Prosecution Service at the end of last week for advice on whether there is enough evidence for Wright to be charged and forced to undergo a court case, Scotland Yard confirmed yesterday.

The CPS could now take a couple of weeks or even months to rule on the case yet Wright is likely to know the outcome of their deliberations by the end of the season.

The England striker is alleged to have launched a tirade of abuse at supporters from the window of his team's dressing-room after the game on 13 December.

Blackburn's manager, Roy Hodgson, plans to sign Coventry's Dion Dublin in a pounds 5m deal this week - if Gordon Strachan's men go out of the FA Cup tonight. Hodgson has already made a move for Dublin and is willing to pay the asking price.

The Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, who tore a hamstring in his side's 1-0 defeat against Arsenal on Saturday, was none the less named as a non-playing member of Denmark's 18-man squad for their friendly against Scotland in Glasgow on 25 March.

The Walsall chairman, Jeff Bonser, has resigned following demonstrations by fans against him at Saturday's game at Grimsby. Bonser said he would be putting the club up for sale.

Southampton have signed the teenage striker Cosimo Sali on loan from the Italian Second Division side Torino until the end of the season.

The QPR defender Keith Rowland has withdrawn from the Northern Ireland squad to face Slovakia at Windsor Park on 25 March because his thigh wound will not heal in time.

Wycombe have confirmed Neil Smillie as manager until the end of the season. Smillie took over as caretaker manager when John Gregory was appointed Aston Villa manager.

Colin Todd, the Bolton manager, signed Swiss striker Gaetano Giallanza last night to help the club's relegation fight. The under-21 international signed on loan for the rest of the season from the French side Nantes.

Police are studying a video of crowd trouble which marred Cheltenham Town's FA Trophy match with Hayes at the weekend. A hundred fans invaded the pitch after Cheltenham had won the game with the only goal minutes from the end.