Stubbs the key!

It now appears to be a matter of when rather than if the Burnden captain is granted his long-held wish for a move.

And for Burnden boss Colin Todd it's a case of the sooner the better. Todd will make another continental trip this weekend to run the rule over possible foreign targets. He is hoping to make two or three significant summer signings to strengthen a squad he already believes is strong enough to stake a claim for a quick return to the Premiership.

But the size and the timing of his investments will hinge on an early development in the Stubbs saga. The £4 million-rated former England B defender played what was generally accepted as being his final game in a Wanderers shirt in yesterday's 2-1 defeat at Arsenal - the club being widely tipped as his next destination.

But there have been no suggestions from either club that a move is imminent, if at all!

Todd again outlined his own acceptance of the situation when he confirmed that he expects all the players involved in the final Premiership game to be involved in next season's Division One campaign ... "apart from one!"

And he again illustrated his determination to quash speculation over Yugoslav international Sasa Curcic, who limped out of the final game of his first season in England with an ankle injury. Aston Villa are reported to be interested in teaming up Curcic with his fellow Serb Savo Milosevic but Todd explained: "We brought Sasa to England and he's done reasonably well in his first season.

"He is one of the players who will be helping us get back into the Premiership. "I believe we already have a good squad which should put us in good heart but I am looking to add two or three players."

Wanderers Reserves, already safe for another season in Division One of the Pontins League, play their final game of the season at Stoke tonight.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.