New deal for Lawrence

Liam Lawrence has been rewarded with an extension to his contract after helping Sunderland climb back into the Barclays Premiership.

The 23-year-old was a £175,000 (€252,500) signing from Mansfield last summer, when he signed a two-year deal which has now been extended by a further 12 months, keeping him at the Stadium of Light until June 2007.