Deep vein thrombosis ends Toure's season

Alioune Touré will miss the rest of the season after the club discovered he suffers from a predisposition to deep vein thrombosis. The Manchester City striker's condition was uncovered by the club after their six-hour coach trip to Portsmouth last month, when the 21-year-old failed to take his medication because he did not realise how long the journey was.

After only one substitute appearance this season, Touré, signed from the French First Division side Nantes in September, has been ordered to rest for three months.

Jim Jefferies is heading for a managerial crisis at Bradford City as his close friend and right-hand man, Billy Brown, faces the sack. Brown is the subject of an internal inquiry at the First Division club after a Christmas party when comments were made about behind-the-scenes politics.

The club's chairman, Geoffrey Richmond, is investigating and is expected to fire Brown, which would put Jefferies's position under threat.

Excelsior Mouscron have been negotiating with Tottenham over a deal which would give them first option on the Belgian side's players and allow them to send out young players for first-team football.

The future of Third Division York City has been put in doubt after the club was put up for sale at Thursday night's AGM.

The club is being offered for sale by present owners Bootham Crescent Holdings, and are three points and four places off the bottom of the table. The owners have stated that they intend to shut the club down if they cannot find a buyer by the end of this season in May.

Figures revealed to shareholders at the AGM showed that the club lost a record £1,261,038 for the year ending 30 June 2001. A supporters' protest is expected at Boxing Day's game against Hull City.

The defender Curtis Fleming has left Birmingham after deciding against extending his loan from Middlesbrough.

Grimsby have been given the go-ahead by the Government to press ahead with plans for a new 20,000-seater stadium.