GERRY Taggart's hopes of a cup comeback have been scuppered by a training accident.

The Wanderers central defender, missing for two games through suspension, has damaged his ankle and has had to scrap plans for a reserve team fitness trial tomorrow.

Fellow centre-back Chris Fairclough, who had his ankle in plaster as a precautionary measure during his ban period, is back in full training and available for selection for Saturday's Fourth Round FA Cup tie against Leeds United.

"Apart from Gerry Taggart and one or two slight knocks, we have a fully-fit squad," Burnden boss Colin Todd confirmed today as Wanderers continued their preparation for the Burnden clash.

Striker Nathan Blake will team up with the squad later in the week. He is on duty with Wales for tomorrow night's friendly in Italy but will have to settle for a place on the bench, at best after being left out of Bobby Gould's starting line-up.

Leeds, already without strikers Tony Yeboah and Phil Massinga, who are on African Nations Cup duty, and Lee Chapman and Mark Ford, who start suspensions, have defenders Tony Dorigo and Richard Jobson racing to be fit. Both players missed Saturday's 5-0 Premiership hammering at Liverpool, Dorigo with a hamstring injury, Jobson with a thigh problem.

Alan Thompson, out for six weeks after a double hernia operation, will play in tomorrow's Pontins League game at home to Manchester United - a fixture that traditionally attracts a big crowd to Burnden and which holds the added attraction of Italian trialist Enzo Gambaro.

Officials have urged fans to get to the game in good time to reduce a late rush at the turnstiles.

Meanwhile Todd dismissed reports that he has had a £350,000 bid rejected for Aberdeen's 33-year-old striker Duncan Ferguson.

The Dons have had an approach from Scottish Premier League strugglers Motherwell but manager Roy Aitken has gone on record to say the Scotland international is not for sale.

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