Middlesbrough defender Danny Mills received an early Christmas present when the Football Association video advisory panel cleared him of violent conduct against Paolo di Canio. The panel decided that Mills had 'no case to answer' and that contact between Mills and the Charlton player was 'accidental', despite the fact that the Italian left the pitch with blood streaming down his face.
Still in the North East and Newcastle chairman Freddie Shepherd has hinted that he wants Alan Shearer to follow Sir Bobby Robson as United's manager, if he passes his UEFA 'B' coaching badge. Shepherd says: "I would like the Newcastle manager to be a Geordie. I didn't even know Alan hadn't taken his badges. Now that he has I am delighted for him."
Blackburn are in talks with an unnamed Serie A club about a possible deal for want-away striker Corrado Grabbi, who signed for nearly £7 million in 2001, but has slipped even further down the pecking order at Ewood Park and is desperate for a return to his homeland.
Premiership strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers may be on the verge of new ownership. After current owner Sir Jack Hayward announced recently his intention to 'hand over' the club after sinking huge amounts of his personal fortune into getting the club into the top flight Wolves have announced a press conference for today.
It's not expected that any names will be forthcoming as to who the new owners will be but confirmation of a deal is expected to be declared.
Wolves' West Midlands rivals Birmingham City are resigned to being without their talismanic striker Christophe Dugarry for around a month. The Frenchman has been ordered to rest for up to four weeks, and undertake a course of injections, in order to clear up a niggling knee injury.
In the First Division, Crystal Palace are on the verge of appointing a new manager. Iain Dowie has been in talks with Eagles' chairman Simon Jordan and it's expected that he will be announced as the new Palace manager sometime on Friday.
Dowie has worked wonders as manager at Oldham Athletic on less than a shoe-string and with a bit more financial backing he could transform Palace, who have lacked the consistency to mount a serious promotion challenge, into serious contenders.
