Football: Pearce to remain at Forest helm

Stuart Pearce has agreed to stay in charge at Nottingham Forest for the rest of the season. The England full-back has hinted that he would like the job on a full-time basis - but he is aware that his future will not be settled before the club's extraordinary general meeting next month.

Since Pearce became caretaker player-manager after the departure of Frank Clark, Forest have taken 13 out of 18 points to move out of the Premiership relegation zone. "Stuart has agreed to stay with us until the end of the season," Irving Korn, the Forest chairman, said after talks with Pearce yesterday, "but the long-term situation hinges on the takeover."

The various takeover offers on the table will be considered by the club's 203 shareholders at the EGM on 24 February. "We'll have to wait until the new owners come in and then sit down and start further talks," Korn added, after hearing what Pearce wants from the club if he is to continue as manager. "We've had preliminary talks, which have gone well, and I will put Stuart's proposals to the board on Friday." Pearce left the City Ground without comment.

West Bromwich Albion have dismissed their manager, Alan Buckley. He had been in charge at The Hawthorns since October 1994, after six years as manager of Grimsby Town.

Albion, 17th in the First Division, have won only seven League games this season. Buckley had been warned by the chairman, Tony Hale, that results had to improve following the club's stock market flotation. Arthur Mann, Buckley's assistant, becomes caretaker manager. He will be aided by the coach, John Trewick.

Albion lost 2-0 last weekend at their Black Country rivals, Wolves, who also won 4-2 at the Hawthorns in September. "I wasn't happy, because we don't like losing to Wolves," Hale said, "but it was the manner in which we lost which was disappointing. It was totally unacceptable."

The Albion chairman added that Buckley's successor will be given money to spend. "It is vital to get the right man, and I am more interested in making the right appointment rather than rushing into a decision," Hale insisted.

Bristol City were yesterday found guilty by a Football Association disciplinary commission of failing to control spectators at their Ashton Gate derby against Bristol Rovers on 15 December, when a pitch invasion led to alleged attacks on Rovers players. City were also deducted two points but that punishment has been suspended until the end of the year.

Kenny Dalglish wants to bring a Swedish Under-21 international centre- back, Olaf Mellberg, to Newcastle United. Dalglish spotted Mellberg, who plays for Degerfors, when he was scouting for Rangers, and has now moved in on behalf of his new employers.

Stoke City have turned down a pounds 2.1m offer from their First Division rivals, Queen's Park Rangers, for their top scorer, Mike Sheron. Crystal Palace have completed the signing of the 34-year-old Arsenal defender Andy Linighan for an undisclosed fee. Bolton Wanderers are considering a bid for the Leicester City striker Mark Robins, whose goal beat Ipswich in Tuesday's Coca-Cola Cup quarter-final.

Bruce Grobbelaar, the Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper who is on trial at Winchester Crown Court on match-fixing charges, has been given permission by the judge presiding over the case to fly to Harare this weekend to play for Zimbabwe against Ghana in an African Nations' Cup qualifier. He is due to leave London tonight.

Reports in the Netherlands suggest that Morten Olsen, the former Danish international defender and coach at Brondby and FC Cologne, is to succeed Louis van Gaal as the Ajax coach this summer.