Sheffield Wednesday have extended Stoke midfielder Tom Soares’ loan spell at Hillsborough until January 25.

NEIL WARNOCK is hardly averse to a spot of hyperbole, but nobody argued when the veteran manager suggested yesterday that turning his Crystal Palace side from Championship cannon fodder into Premier League hopefuls has been the biggest achievement of his long managerial career.

Crystal Palace moved four points clear of the Barclays Premiership relegation zone with a 2-0 win over Birmingham, as former Blues striker Andrew Johnson converted two penalties.