NOTTINGHAM FOREST manager Joe Kinnear admitted his players needed no motivation to supply a “fairytale finish” to an emotional day of celebrations of the life of Brian Clough.

Nottingham Forest 2 West Ham 1

Nottingham Forest booked their place in the second round of the Carling Cup on the night the club’s English top-flight record of 42 matches unbeaten was broken by Arsenal.

Nottingham Forest manager Joe Kinnear’s centre-half crisis has deepened with the news John Thompson is set to for surgery.

Sheffield United knocked West Brom off the First Division summit with a 2-0 victory in the battle of the top two at The Hawthorns.

The money men at Hillsborough all breathed a huge sigh of relief today when another eight players were struck off the club’s wage bill – although Chris Turner took no pleasure in the task.

Sheffield Wednesday manager Chris Turner has wasted little time in wielding the axe by releasing eight out-of-contract players at Hillsborough.

Sheffield Wednesday boosted their First Division survival hopes with a superb five-goal demolition of hapless Coventry at Hillsborough tonight.

Northern Ireland’s most senior policeman has agreed to address an SDLP seminar on policing, it was disclosed today.

MARK HUGHES took a swipe at FIFA yesterday as he finalised plans for Wales’ crunch Euro 2004 clash in Azerbaijan without seven of his star men.

Race favourite Paula Radcliffe has shrugged off the fact the weather is unlikely to be helpful when she bids for the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon title on Sunday.

Ipswich 1 Bradford 2

Bradford 0 Wolves 0

The storm clouds over Bradford City were lifted this afternoon as Nicky Law sent out his team to contest a fixture which might never have taken place.

Stoke boss Gudjon Thordarson has had few injury problems to contend with in the build up to his side’s Second Division play-off final against Brentford at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Cardiff City owner Sam Hammam has been told to remain in the directors' box for the duration of all home matches.