An unrepentant referee, Neale Barry, yesterday stood by his controversial decision to allow Tuesday’s fog-bound First Division match between Tranmere Rovers and Norwich City to go ahead. Some fans at Prenton Park left early in protest at their inability to see much of the action and Radio 5 Live were forced to abandon their plans to give full match commentary. Yesterday, though, the Scunthorpe-based official maintained that he had made the right decision and that he was happy that the game went ahead.
“I was quite happy to start the game,” Barry said. “I could see both goals from half-way and my two assistants could see across the pitch.”The players were superb and made no mention to me that they thought I should abandon the game, and the managers said nothing either.”I appreciate that a section of the supporters would not have had a brilliant view, but we have to try to get games played.

If I had had to abandon it after 10 or 15 minutes then the supporters would not have got their money back, but I was quite happy to start.”The fog didn’t get any worse by the end of the game, although the floodlights did draw it into the corners a little. If the players had started to complain at any stage, I would have begun thinking about calling it off but, while I understand the frustrations of some of the supporters, a referee has to make a decision and I stand by the one I took.”The Norwich manager, Mike Walker, had no complaints after his side’s 3-1 defeat, while the Tranmere Rovers manager, John Aldridge, will have been delighted to see his side win a match from which he was suspended.The Football League also gave its backing to the referee. “Neale thought the conditions were suitable for a game of professional football. He makes the decision and his is the final call,” Chris Hull, a League spokesman, said. “I’m sure he took account of the enjoyment of spectators, but normally their conditions and those for the players coincide.”If the players feel the pitch is fit and the visibility is acceptable, you would expect that would apply for the spectators as well – but we will support Neale.”Coca-Cola have signed a pounds 6m deal to continue their sponsorship of the Football League Cup until the 1999-2000 season. The deal means the drinks giant are now the longest-standing sponsor of an English cup competition, having taken over as sponsors from the high street retailer, Rumbelows, for the 1992-93 season.”We are delighted that we can continue to work with Coca-Cola in promoting and developing the Coca-Cola Cup,” David Sheepshanks, the Football League chairman, said..

The debt-ridden Second Division club AFC Bournemouth have been given a stay of execution by the Football League. An emotional meeting at the town’s Winter Gardens on Wednesday night was told by the receiver Alan Lewis that Saturday’s win at Bristol City would not be the club’s last fixture – as had been feared.
To cheers from the 2,000 fans packed into the theatre, Lewis said: “The League have relented and will allow us to play against Blackpool on Saturday and possibly beyond.”Bournemouth, who have admitted to pounds 4.4m debts, launched a trust appeal on Monday with the aim of raising pounds 300,000 just to see the club through to the end of the season.The meeting enabled Bournemouth to gather in pounds 30,000 to add to the pounds 50,000 already raised by the appeal.Players were among the crowd as the club’s three remaining directors explained how close the club was to extinction.The acting chairman, Brian Willis, said the threat of closure was as real as it had ever been in the club’s 98-year history.”When the receivers came in on Friday there seemed to be no way out and that could still be the case if we don’t raise this money,” he said.”But the level of support has been fantastic from all over the world with pledges of money from as far away as Canada and Australia.”If we can get through to the end of the season, we could buy some time to work out a way of rescheduling our debts.”Bournemouth owe pounds 2.1m to Lloyds Bank, who called in the receivers last week, while another pounds 450,000 is owed in unpaid VAT and PAYE.Twelve backroom staff lost their jobs last week in a cost- cutting exercise- including the club’s assistant manager, John Williams, so far the only casualty on the playing side.Manchester City have appointed Liverpool’s commercial manager, Mike Turner, as their new chief executive with effect from 3 March.The present incumbent, Colin Barlow, who was “lieutenant” to the chairman, Francis Lee, in the successful takeover battle against the late Peter Swales three years ago, is to take up a new role in special project development.”We are delighted Mike is joining us,” Lee said. “He has got an excellent record of achievement in the sports industry and we know he will greatly strengthen our commercial team.”Barlow, a former City player, said: “I have been three years away from my companies and would like to devote more of my time to them. I remain committed to this wonderful club as a main board director and as a substantial shareholder and am sure that now the infrastructure of the club has been put into place, it is ready to really take off commercially.”. Dino Zoff cannot coach Lazio as well as being the Serie A club’s president, the head of the Italian coaches’ union said yesterday.