Portsmouth

West Brom 2-0 Portsmouth
West Brom defeated Portsmouth to dramatically secure their Premiership status on the final day of the season. Bryan Robson's team were the only side in the bottom four to win and so finish one point clear of the relegation zone. Geoff Horsfield scored with a superb volley just after coming on as a second-half substitute that sent the Hawthorns wild with celebration. Kieran Richardson latched onto a backheel from Horsfield to put the home team two goals ahead and secure safety. But at the time of Richardson's strike celebrations were relatively muted. News had filtered round the Hawthorns that Crystal Palace had taken a 2-1 lead at Charlton through an Andy Johnson penalty. But Jonathan Fortune's 82nd-minute equaliser for the Addicks - and defeats for Norwich and Southampton - ensured West Brom, who started the day in bottom place, will play top-flight football next season. The Baggies' survival is a personal triumph for manager Bryan Robson, who becomes the first boss in Premiership history to steer a team in bottom place at Christmas to safety. It was an afternoon of drama and tension at the Hawthorns, with emotions ebbing and flowing as scores from the other games were received on radios and mobile phones. Roared on by a packed, passionate Hawthorns, West Brom started at a blistering pace and should have scored after just six minutes. Richardson burst down the right-hand side and played Robert Earnshaw through but the Wales international shot wide from 12 yards. But Pompey have improved since Alain Perrin took over and the visitors soon created chances of their own. Gary O'Neil, unmarked at the far post, should have done better with a volley but shot wide, as did Ricardo Fuller after 16 minutes with a strike from 12 yards. Kevin Campbell threatened for the Baggies, stinging Jamie Ashdown's fingers with a shot from an acute angle, while Aliou Cisse drove wide for Pompey from 25 yards. But the half finished goalless, with the situation in the other games at the break meaning a goal would be enough to move West Brom out of the relegation zone. The Baggies emerged for the second-half with the theme tune to The Great Escape booming around the ground. Pompey, though, were the next to threaten, Kamara rising higher than Martin Albrechtsen but heading wide of Tomasz Kuszczak's goal. The Hawthorns erupted when Horsfield beat Ashdown with a volley on the turn just minutes after arriving as a substitute. Dejan Stefanovic could only deflect a Zoltan Gera cross and Horsfield struck at the far post. Richardson doubled the Baggies' lead, collecting Horsfield's backheel and drilling the ball past Ashdown from 10 yards. And a massive roar around the ground shortly afterwards indicated Charlton had made it 2-2 against Palace. The final whistle saw a nervous wait but the news of the other results eventually reached the Hawthorns and the celebrations started. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- West Brom: Kuszczak, Albrechtsen, Gaardsoe, Robinson, Clement, Gera, Wallwork, Richardson, Greening (Horsfield 58), Earnshaw (Kanu 84), Campbell. Subs Not Used: Moore, Murphy, Inamoto. Goals: Horsfield 58, Richardson 75. Portsmouth: Ashdown, Primus, De Zeeuw, Stefanovic, Taylor, Keene (Mezague 81), Cisse, Hughes (Skopelitis 50), O'Neil, Fuller, Kamara (Rodic 65). Subs Not Used: Chalkias, Duffy. Booked: Fuller. Att: 27,751 Ref: M Riley (W Yorkshire).

Perrin points to need for points
Portsmouth manager Alain Perrin said West Brom's need for points was the difference between the two teams after the Baggies' 2-0 win. "The relegation situation was not our problem, our aim was to try and take some points to improve our position in the table," said Perrin. "But I think the desire of West Brom was perhaps more. "We showed we were professional in the way we went out to try and get points and there is a good spirit here." Perrin added that the decision not to include striker Yakubu in the squad was due to his probable sale during the summer. "We have some proposals so I think it was better for him not to play to avoid an injury. It was better for him and the club to stay at home," added the Pompey boss.

Stunned Stone released by Pompey
Former England winger Steve Stone is "gutted" after Portsmouth told him he will not be offered a new deal. The 33-year-old would have earned a one-year extension if he had played in 60% of Pompey's games this season but he has featured in only 25 matches. Stone had the support of director of football Velimir Zajec but new boss Alain Perrin has opted to release him. "They are not going to offer me anything, basically they don't want me," he told the Daily Star. "You get emotionally involved with the club and work your socks off and then this happens. I'm gutted." Stone, who started his career at Nottingham Forest before joining Pompey from Aston Villa, insists he is still good enough for the top flight. "I know I can still do a job at the highest level for another year at least and am confident of getting another Premiership club," he added. "There will be a lot of clubs in the Championship who will want a player of my experience but I'll look around the Premiership and see what is available."

Mandaric promises Pompey signings
Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric has assured the club's fans that they are searching hard for a replacement for departing striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu. The unsettled Nigerian forward, who was the club's leading scorer with 17 goals this season, is set to leave Fratton Park for Middlesbrough. But Mandaric told the club website: "We are all working hard on bringing in top recruits who'll take this club forward. "The strikers we bring in will over time become as revered as Yakubu." He added: "We are now entering our third year in the Premier League and we have to progress away from just seeing safety as our goal. "Very soon we will be actively in the market to bring top quality players to the club."

Middlesbrough agree Yakubu deal
Middlesbrough have agreed a fee of £7.5m with Portsmouth for Nigerian striker Ayegbeni Yakubu. The 22-year-old has held talks and passed a medical with the Teesside club and will join them on 1 July subject to securing a work permit. Middlesbrough's chief executive Keith Lamb said: "There are still some loose ends to tie up. "There is still the issue of gaining a work permit, though we don't anticipate too many difficulties." Lamb added: "He fills Steve McClaren's requirements - he's young, he's a goalscorer and he's the next generation. "We've got Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink, Mark Viduka and I'm sure with Yakubu joining it'll give us even more firepower." Yakubu was left out of Portsmouth's final game of the season away to West Brom and was expected to leave Fratton Park this summer. He is the club's leading scorer with 17 goals but has been unsettled since boss Harry Redknapp's departure in November. Any deal would involve a proportion of any transfer fee going to Israeli club Maccabi Haifa, who still part-own the player. Meanwhile, Boro will attempt to secure the futures of Brazilian midfielder Doriva and Dutch international Bolo Zenden over the next few weeks after booking a second successive Uefa Cup campaign.

Perrin planning French pre-season
Portsmouth manager Alain Perrin is planning a training camp in his native France this summer, as part of their pre-season preparations. Pompey will start pre-season with friendlies at Havant & Waterlooville (12 July) and Yeovil (16 July). They will then head to the Continent - with warm-up games planned against French clubs Monaco and Bordeaux. Perrin's men will then host Inter Milan at Fratton Park on 31 July - and hope for another home friendly in August.

Mezague back at Montpellier
Cameroon midfielder Valery Mezague is back with his French club Montpellier after English side Portsmouth decided not to buy him. The 21-year-old has spent a season on loan at Portsmouth but they have decided not to take up an option to buy him. The French second division side are believed to want up to US$1.8 for Mezague. The Indomitable Lions player made six starts and appeared eight times from the substitutes' bench for Portsmouth last season.

Hislop insists he is not retiring
Shaka Hislop has denied reports that he is ready to quit football. The 36-year-old keeper was released by Portsmouth at the end of the season and speculation had arisen that he was considering his future in the game. "I'm not retiring," he told the Stellar Group website. "I've got several offers from clubs and will be discussing them with my agent in the next few weeks. "I was disappointed to be released by Portsmouth but I still feel fit and well, with a hunger for the game." Hislop's future at Fratton Park suffered after the departure of Harry Redknapp as manager and his last Pompey first-team appearance was on 15 January. The Trinidad and Tobago international added: "I believe I am still good enough to play at the highest level and I think my performances for Portsmouth have shown that."

Monaco striker rejects Portsmouth
Portsmouth have failed in an attempt to sign Monaco's promising young striker Sebastien Grax. Grax, 20, recently signed a new three-year deal at Monaco and has agreed to return Troyes to spend another season on loan. After scoring 16 goals to help Troyes to promotion, Grax is expected to play a major role there again next season. Grax said: "Portsmouth asked about me and it was financially tempting, but I have plenty of time ahead of me." The France under-21 international's snub is another blow for Pompey, who are seeking to boost their strike force after losing Aiyegbeni Yakubu to Middlesbrough. Pompey also look like missing out on Chelsea striker Mikael Forsell, forcing them to look elsewhere. The south coast club have been linked with Hajduk Split striker Dragan Blatnjak, Brazilian Marco Amoroso, who is being released by Malaga, and Israeli Yaniv Katan. Pompey chairman Milan Mandaric has also expressed an interest in bringing Southampton striker Peter Crouch back to Fratton Park but unlikely to meet Saints' £5m price tag for the newly-capped England striker.

I may have saved Saints - Perrin
Portsmouth manager Alain Perrin has suggested he could have kept Southampton in the Premiership if Saints had appointed him. Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe approached former Marseille boss Perrin after Gordon Strachan's departure. Paul Sturrock got the job but Perrin told the Portsmouth News: "They went for somebody else, it was no big deal. "Who knows what might have happened had I gone there? Maybe they wouldn't be in the position they find themselves in." Portsmouth were in free-fall when Perrin was appointed to take charge of the last seven Premiership matches of last season. He managed to stop the rot with two wins and two draws to keep Pompey up. In contrast, Harry Redknapp, who became Saints third manager last season when he took over from Steve Wigley, was unable to reverse the club's fortunes. Perrin admitted: "The chairman of Southampton contacted me about the job, but they chose somebody already in England. "I certainly didn't lose any sleep about not going there. "I came to work for Portsmouth and I will give my best for Portsmouth."

Trio poised for exit from Rangers
Rangers' summer clear-out has begun, with Shota Arveladze set to join AZ Alkmaar and Zurab Khizanishvili and Peter Lovenkrands likely to follow. German clubs Hamburg and Schalke 04 have both expressed an interest in Georgia defender Khizanishvili. And Portsmouth and clubs in Spain are among those who could be poised to sign Danish winger Lovenkrands. Striker Arveladze expects to sign a three-year contract with AZ on Tuesday after being allowed to leave Ibrox. The 32-year-old, who arrived in Glasgow from Ajax for £2m in 2001, scored two vital goals against Motherwell in the run-in to Rangers' title triumph this season. But he appeared not to be in manager Alex McLeish's long-term plans. Georgia international team-mate Khizanishvili signed a two-year extension to his contract in February. But the 23-year-old, who arrived from Dundee in 2003, has not started for the first team since January. Rangers are reportedly willing to let him leave for about £500,000. The Glasgow club could let Lovenkrands go for even less and Portsmouth are believed to be one of the clubs expressing an interest. But agent Ivan Benes has stressed that the 25-year-old is willing to see out the final year of his contract at Ibrox if there are no suitable offers. Rangers appear willing to sell the Dane, a £1.2m signing from AB Copenhagen in 2000 but who has not been a regular starter this season.

Newell wants decision from Howard
Luton boss Mike Newell has urged star striker Steve Howard, 29, to decide whether he wants to stay at the club. Howard, who scored 22 goals last season as the Hatters won League One, is out of contract at the end of June. "We are going to have to get a decision soon on Steve. We can't wait around for ever," Newell told the club website. "We need to start planning for next season. I am looking for players we might be able to bring in but we need to know who is going to be around." The Hatters boss also wants Portsmouth to decide on the future of another striker, Rowan Vine. The 22-year-old scored nine times in 49 games during a season-long loan spell at Kenilworth Road last season. "I have spoken to Rowan and he is no clearer as to what is going on at Portsmouth," Newell added. "I'm not sure who is in charge there at the moment so we are still waiting to see if he is needed by them for next season."

Duffy joins Coventry for season
Portsmouth and Wales defender Richard Duffy has agreed a loan deal with Coventry for the whole of next season. The 19-year-old ex-Swansea City right-back spent a successful three months on loan at the Sky Blues at the end of last season. He made 15 appearances as he helped the club avoid relegation. Duffy joined Pompey from the Swans in January 2004, but has made just one Premiership appearance. He played nine games on loan for Burnley last year.

Czech striker snubs Pompey offer
Czech Republic striker Vratislav Lokvenc has turned down Portsmouth to sign for Austrian side Salzburg. The 31-year-old, capped 68 times, also rejected an approach from Hertha Berlin to sign a three-year deal with Salzburg after leaving Bochum. "Hertha manager Dieter Hoeness was reluctant to conclude the contract," Lokvenc told Czech paper Sport. "I had a similar feeling from the Portsmouth negotiations. Salzburg were the most straightforward." Lokvenc has also played for Kaiserslautern and before that Sparta Prague. "In Salzburg the conditions were better than the ones from Hertha and Portsmouth," added Lokvenc. "It is the best transfer of my life."

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