Hammers insiders felt he had already agreed to the switch and was going back to Manchester to say his farewells.Frank Lampard, the son of the former coach Frank Snr, also wants his future resolved with Leeds leading the chase for his signature. However Leeds's chairman, Peter Ridsdale, said yesterday he would "not be making a bid in double figures for Frank Lampard.".West Ham had some misgivings about McClaren's lack of experience as a No 1, but glowing recommendations from Ferguson and the England coach, Sven Goran Eriksson, with whom he worked in tandem with his job at Old Trafford until recently, persuaded them to approach him. West Ham's managing director, Paul Aldridge, said: "Steve is very confident he can make the step up and we have no doubts either. We would be naive not to take his lack of managerial experience into consideration but he has been No 2 at the biggest club in the world, he is a very intelligent man and everywhere you go you get glowing reports about him."Everything we hear about Steve suggests to us he could successfully become a No 1. Sir Alex has said he recommended he should be No 1 at Manchester United, you couldn't get any higher praise than that, and [the Derby manager] Jim Smith speaks of him in glowing terms. Steve is a very articulate and intelligent man who I don't believe will have a problem stepping up. He has strong ideas about how a club should be run."Meanwhile, Sir Bobby Charlton believes that Ferguson will remain at Manchester United once his contract as manager runs out next year.
"We want Alex to stay and we shall do the best we possibly can to find the right thing for him to do," Charlton said "The problem will be solved, don't worry. Alex's options are open, but he will think very carefully before leaving Manchester United he won't do that on a whim. I don't think he can or will walk away."I am a director of the club and I have a responsibility to the football side, so I shall be involved in trying to persuade him to stay I have no problems with Alex. He phones me if there is a major problem, and he hasn't phoned me in the last week. I have a special relationship with Alex and if it is serious he will phone me."There are discussions that we are having at the moment, but in the meantime Alex will certainly be our manager next season and he expects to see out his contract.". Watty Keay, who in 1898 scored Southampton's first goal at The Dell, became so popular that he was presented by the fans with an inscribed pocketwatch when he retired in 1900. It seems only fitting that Matt Le Tissier, scorer of the last goal in a competitive match at the stadium, against Arsenal last Saturday, will receive the 21st-century equivalent in August when his testimonial will be the first game at the Premiership club's new ground.
Watty Keay, who in 1898 scored Southampton's first goal at The Dell, became so popular that he was presented by the fans with an inscribed pocketwatch when he retired in 1900. It seems only fitting that Matt Le Tissier, scorer of the last goal in a competitive match at the stadium, against Arsenal last Saturday, will receive the 21st-century equivalent in August when his testimonial will be the first game at the Premiership club's new ground. Saints fans have a last chance to bid farewell to The Dell on Saturday, when Southampton play a friendly at home to Brighton, their opponents in that first game in 1898. After almost 103 years of sterling service, the stadium always cosy, compact, a boon to the hosts, but often intimidating, a devilish place for visitors is to be turned into housing.In the summer the Saints will return to their roots in the St Mary's area of the city, where a new 32,000-seat stadium will be open in time for next season. "Last Saturday was a sad day," Mick Channon, one of Le Tissier's eminent predecessors and now a successful racing trainer, said. Channon still holds Saints' league scoring record (185 goals in 507 games) and was every bit as revered as Le Tissier has been for the past decade and a half."But it was also a happy day It's been a great stadium with a tremendous atmosphere It's small but not as small as people think.
