Allardyce calls for ITV snub from the top flight

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Sam Allardyce, the Bolton Wanderers manager, has called on Premiership clubs to band together against ITV, whose digital channel has refused to honour its lucrative contract with the Football League.

Allardyce is keen on black-listing ITV, including refusing to give interviews, until ITV Digital sorts out the cash dispute with Nationwide League clubs.

"We should make sure, as a football unit, that we stick together," Allardyce said. "I don't think the Premier League sticks by the Nationwide as it should. But I don't forget where I came from. I think we should all stand behind the League clubs and cut ITV off until they sort out this business. We cannot allow them to do this."

The Bolton midfielder, Stig Tofting, has ruled out any hope of playing in Denmark's friendly against Israel on 17 April because of a foot injury.

The former Wales manager Bobby Gould has admitted his interest in the vacant managerial job at the Third Division strugglers, Swansea City. Gould, who was manager at Cardiff City during the 2000-01 season, feels he has the experience needed to provide some stability at a club that has seen eight different managers come and go in the last five years.

The Crystal Palace defender, Jamie Smith, has been ruled out for the rest of the season after a second knee operation this term. He was out for five weeks in November with knee trouble and broke down again in training.

The Walsall director of football, Paul Taylor, has finally left the Bescot Stadium, more than two months after he offered to quit the club. Taylor put in his resignation when Ray Graydon was sacked as manager in late January, but he stayed on to smooth the way for the new manager, Colin Lee. With Lee comfortably settled in as manager, Taylor has ended his 13-year association with the Saddlers.