SOUTHAMPTON: Harry Redknapp is set to be unveiled as Southampton manager in the next 48 hours after the club finally decided to end Steve Wigley's ill-fated time in charge, report Jon Brodkin and Michael Walker.
Although Redknapp had not signed a contract last night, he fully expects to cancel today's planned holiday to Dubai to take over in time for Saturday's game at home to Middlesbrough.
The 57-year-old's appointment would come two weeks after he left Southampton's bitter rivals Portsmouth and make him only the second person, after Alan Ball, to manage both clubs.
Southampton moved for Redknapp after Glenn Hoddle, their first choice, opted to take over at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Wigley will be offered the chance to take another position at the club, with the reserves or academy, but could well opt to leave with a pay-off. He won only one of his 14 league games, ironically against Redknapp's Portsmouth.
Redknapp is expected to bring Kevin Bond from Portsmouth as his assistant. Bond was his first-team coach at Fratton Park and chose to stay there as part of the coaching set-up after Redknapp's departure.
Redknapp becomes the eighth manager or head coach to work under Lowe and Southampton's third of the season. Paul Sturrock was in charge at the start of the campaign, but was replaced after two matches by Wigley.
NATIONAL LEAGUE: Having suffered disappointment on the final day of the title race there was some small consolation yesterday for Kevin Doyle whose remarkable run of late-season form has been recognised by the Soccer Writers' Association of Ireland, writes Emmet Malone. The Cork City player has been named the final Eircom-sponsored player of month for the 2004 season.
The under-21 international led his side's dramatic resurgence over the last three months of the campaign with a string of important goals and ended up finding the net eight times in City's last 12 outings.
In all the 21-year-old scored 13 times for the southerners, most of them in the late-season spell that followed his switch from the right wing to striker.
WOLVERHAMPTON: Glenn Hoddle has been appointed manager of Wolves on a six-month contract.
The 47-year-old former England coach was unveiled at a press conference yesterday, bringing to an end the club's month-long search for a successor to Dave Jones.
PORTSMOUTH: Lomana LuaLua has been charged with abusive behaviour by the English FA over alleged gestures towards the crowd at Middlesbrough in October. The charge against the Portsmouth striker follows an investigation carried out by Cleveland Police after the 1-1 league draw at the Riverside Stadium on October 24th.
SUNDERLAND: Steven Caldwell has had his sending off against West Ham on Saturday rescinded by the English FA.
Caldwell was dismissed by referee Graham Salisbury for violent conduct following an incident involving Hammers midfielder Luke Chadwick.
However, the FA have admitted Caldwell was the victim of a "wrongful dismissal".
