Leeds and Blackpool made a last-minute agreement to avoid their tribunal earlier today. The deal will be kept confidential, but it is believed to see Leeds pay a substantial sum for the services of Simon Grayson. Oldham have told teenage keeper Josh Bell they will not be renewing his contract. He is the fourth player to be told his future lies elsewhere in recent weeks.
Team Bath have told the Conference they will be resigning at the end of the season after being told their status as a university is not compatible with the Conference rules and they will not be allowed further promotion within the League structure. The Conf South side will complete this season before withdrawing from all FA approved competition. They became the first university side in 122 years to reach the FA Cup First Round, and may well now be the last.
Cheltenham are to field eight trialists in their reserves. The eight, all young pros, are vying for places in their squad for next season. The Robins' faint hopes have been dealt further blows with forwards Nick Bignall and Elvis Hammond both ruled out for the remainder of the season. Chester are to take Rochdale keeper James Spencer on a week to week loan to cover stopper Jon Danby, who is expected to be out for the rest of the season. Spencer has not played for Dale's first team since March 2007.
Darlington boss Dave Penney has admitted he is unable to offer new deals to any of his squad, and many will leave in the summer. The club have arranged a fundraising match between an all-star XI and the Quakers play off squad of ten years ago. Should the Bulls face Gillingham in League Two next season it will cost £23 admission. If it's in League One it will be even higher after the club raised prices and then said they would rise further if they won promotion.
Accrington assistant boss Jimmy Bell has spoken about the betting charges against some of his players: "The one player I feel sorry for is Peter Cavanagh. To drag him through this for a £5 accumulator bet seems odd. It is the sort of bet that thousands of people up and down the country have every week on the football. I have known Peter for many years and he insists he can’t remember putting the bet on."
Barnet have sold 720 season tickets after offering current season ticket holders half price renewals. Nearly half of those also took up an offer to renew for the season after for half price also.