ANDY TOWNSEND, the Republic of Ireland captain, is to stay with Aston Villa following the club's rejection of a £700,000 bid by Glasgow Celtic.
Dismissing the offer, Brian Little, the Villa manager, said Townsend would be staying with the club, at least until his current contract expired at the end of the season.
Following talks between the two chairmen, we have received a bid from Celtic," said Little. "But I don't want any of my first team players to leave - and that includes Andy Townsend.
"If Celtic come back with an improved offer, I will tell them to up it and then say no again."
After a series of injuries last season, Townsend (33) has reemerged as one of Villa's most influential players, a point illustrated by his winning goal at Southampton last Saturday.
Celtic's interest stems less from a desire to renew the Irish connection at Parkhead than the need for a midfield leader to recharge a team which, after a bright start to their Premier League programme, has lost its way in recent weeks.
Tommy Burns, their manager, blames a lack of leadership for the mini collapse and sees Townsend as the type of player he needs to pull back an eight point deficit from Glasgow Rangers.
Townsend, Ireland's captain a record 33 times, joined Aston Villa from Chelsea after spells with Southampton and Norwich City.
David Connolly, Watford's Republic of Ireland striker, was also in the transfer news yesterday after reports linked him with Sunderland. The Sunderland manager, Peter Reid, desperately short of scoring power, sees Connolly as a possible solution to his problems. However a Watford spokesman said no offer had been received.
Connolly, hit by injury problems for a second consecutive season, made a spectacular return last Saturday, scoring three times in Watford's 5-0 win over non league club Ashford Town in their FA Cup second round tie.
"There have been reports of different clubs coming to take a look but so far nobody has spoken with me," he said. "My contract is up at the end of the season and if nothing happens before then, I'll be looking at my options at that point."
Meanwhile proposals for an extended 16 club Irish Premier Division championship, starting in the 1998/99 season, are to be debated by the National League's Management Committee on Monday. A discussion document has recommended that there should be no relegation from the Premier Division next season and that the top four clubs in the First Division championship be promoted.
The First Division vacancies would then be advertised. There would be a preference for clubs based outside the Dublin area as it is considered that there are already too many senior clubs in the city.
. The Republic of Ireland have drawn Azerbaijan and Moldova in the preliminary stages of the European Under 18 Championship, the final to take place in Cyprus in July 1998. Northern Ireland drew Croatia and Andorra in the same competition. In the European; Under 16 Championship, the Republic of Ireland have been drawn with Northern Ireland and Belgium.
After the youth championship draws, the FAI's chief executive Bernard O'Byrne, met UEFA officials, including Lennart Johansson. O'Byrne again emphasised the association's opposition to any proposed move by Wimbledon soccer club to Dublin.
According to an FAI statement after this meeting, the UEFA officials again express their opposition in principle to the concept and confirmed that they will fully support the FAI in the stance that the Irish association is taking on the matter".
