BLACKPOOL stand on the brink of a return to the top flight for the first time since 1971 after a DJ Campbell hat-trick helped sink Nottingham Forest in a Championship play-off semi-final that swung one way then the other at the City Ground.

NEWCASTLE can return to the top of the Championship tonight if they maintain their happy habit of winning Monday matches.

Ipswich 1 Nottingham Forest 1

David Healy’s extra-time strike sent Sunderland into the Carling Cup third round as Roy Keane recorded his first cup win as a manager against former club Nottingham Forest.

Derby 2 Arsenal 6

Derby manager Paul Jewell would be prepared to sell Rob Earnshaw this summer - but only for the right price.

Derby 0 Aston Villa 6

SIX MONTHS and 25 games without a Premier League win, Derby County have lost most things this season, but not it seems their sense of humour.

Birmingham 1 Derby 1

Derby 1 Preston 4

Derby manager Paul Jewell will be without four of his new signings for tomorrow night’s FA Cup third-round replay at Sheffield Wednesday.

Derby boss Paul Jewell is hoping new signing Danny Mills will help reignite the Rams in their quest for a footballing miracle.

Danny Mills goes straight into the Derby squad for Sunday’s FA Cup third-round tie against Sheffield Wednesday at Pride Park.

Derby chairman Adam Pearson is ready to swell the Premier League’s foreign legion as he tries to transform the club into a major force.

Derby boss Paul Jewell faces a striker dilemma ahead of tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League game at Bolton after selling Steve Howard to Leicester.

Derby boss Paul Jewell has called on Alan Curbishley to end the speculation surrounding teenage star Giles Barnes.

Derby face Blackburn in a Premier League clash at Pride Park on Sunday with boss Paul Jewell’s squad at breaking point.

Reading 1 Derby 0

Derby manager Billy Davies makes four changes for the visit of Birmingham as he went in search of a first top-flight victory this season in his 50th league match in charge of the Rams.

Derby defender Claude Davis should be fit to make his Rams debut in tomorrow’s opening Barclays Premier League game against Portsmouth at Pride Park.

Sunderland are on the brink of signing Norwich midfielder Dickson Etuhu for £1.5m, the Coca-Cola Championship club have confirmed.

Andy Todd insists Derby will not be fighting in the Premier League this season “just to make up the numbers”.

Sunderland’s miserable start in the Coca-Cola Championship continued as they crashed to a 3-2 defeat against Plymouth at the Stadium of Light today.

Reading secured the Coca-Cola Championship title after their 5-0 win against Derby at the Madejski Stadium.

West Brom beat the January transfer window deadline with minutes to spare to sign Southampton midfielder Nigel Quashie in a £1.4m (€2m) deal.

West Brom have accepted a £3.5m bid for want-away striker Rob Earnshaw from Norwich.

Rob Earnshaw has admitted he needs to quit West Brom “for the sake of his domestic and international career”.

LAWRIE SANCHEZ is calling on his Northern Ireland team to help create a bright new football future in the province.

Jimmy Bullard scored an injury-time winner as Wigan came from behind to seal a second successive victory and hand West Brom their third straight defeat.

West Brom have agreed a £3m (€4.4m) deal with Wigan for striker Nathan Ellington.

West Brom 2 Crystal Palace 2

West Brom 2 Crystal Palace 2

Portsmouth 3 West Brom 2

Arsenal returned to the top of the Premiership today after a controversial 3-0 win at Fulham.

Northern Ireland captain Aaron Hughes will come face to face with his Newcastle team-mate Craig Bellamy tomorrow and admits it is a daunting prospect.

Division One leaders Norwich suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat at Cardiff after conceding two goals in three first-half minutes to their mid-table opponents.

Simon Stone bids to bring order to the chaotic world of the Premiership’s January sales.