GEORGE GRAHAM has rejected the chance to become the manager of Manchester City after he made personal enquiries into the state of the club and was turned off by what he found.

The former Arsenal manager became the favourite to replace Alan Ball after admitting on Tuesday that he was interested in the job and after City privately let it be known that the Scot was the man they wanted.

But after making a series of phone calls to contacts close to City yesterday, Graham uncovered so many problems at Maine Road that he immediately withdrew his interest.

The City chairman Francis Lee is understood to have contacted Graham later yesterday in the hope of agreeing a deal, only to be told the bad news.

Reports that the City directors were, at last night's board meeting, discussing an approach to Jack Charlton brought a groan from one City fan who described the former Ireland manager as "yesterday's man who played boring football anyway".

Graham's change of mind is surprising given that on Tuesday he categorised City as the sort of big club that would appeal to him. "I would only consider going back with a big club that had real ambition and potential," he said. "City most certainly fit that criteria."

But Graham discovered a host of problems, principal among which was the cash strapped club's lack of money for new players which would have meant having to sell before being able to buy.

Graham was also worried that City's propensity to change managers as soon as things went wrong - 14 in the last 24 years - might not give him the time he needed.