BEST OF THE REST

The 32-year-old signed a one-year deal with a further year's option just minutes before Tuesday's midnight deadline for the European summer transfer window.

“I'm relishing the opportunity to continue my premiership career with a progressive club like Birmingham City," Yorke was quoted as saying.

"I greatly admire what Steve Bruce has achieved in his time at Birmingham City. I believe it is a club which is going places and I very much look forward to being part of it."

From the Guardian:

Fulham will demand a courtroom explanation from Jean Tigana over a sheaf of documents recovered from their former manager's office which they claim "raises suspicions" over his player-trading practices.

The case is due to be heard in the high court next month and is expected to centre on Tigana's relationship with his former business partner Richard Bettoni, an unlicensed football agent.

"There is currently no evidence of irregular payments, but there are documents relating to the matter that have yet to be explained," said a Fulham source.

"There is cause to consider the documents to be suspicious."

Tigana was sacked in April last year. An industrial tribunal ruled that the club would have to honour the terms of his contract, a verdict that Fulham are likely to appeal against after the case has been heard in six weeks. The club would make no official comment last night.

The Premier League is poised to approve the introduction of foreign referees based on a survey of top-flight managers which will back the Uefa initiative.

The poll, conducted by the League Managers Association, resulted in a guarded go ahead for a ground-breaking European exchange scheme that will see top continental referees swap countries for selected matches.

Uefa's initial proposal opened divisions between the FA, supporters of the experimental plan, and the Premier League, which is financially committed to developing and protecting the status of English referees.

Now a compromise is about to be reached which will see a handful of overseas officials invited to take charge of Premiership games on an occasional basis.

It is understood the LMA have set strict provisos for endorsing the historic venture as they are keen to show that their stance does not reflect a loss of faith in English referees.

Relations between managers and the refereeing hierarchy have improved dramatically since Keith Hackett's promotion to select group manager. He presided over a 50% reduction in the caution count last season and since then has also demonstrated to the managers - at a time when Andy D'Urso is facing suspension - that underperforming officials are accountable.

Influential refereeing figures, however, believe most overseas officials would find the pace of the Premiership too hot to handle and the LMA have echoed the reservations.