Blues to Replace Bruce 'in a Week'

Birmingham City pledged last night to announce a successor to Steve Bruce "within the next week" after the manager's move to Wigan was finally completed yesterday. The club are expected to make an approach for the Scotland coach, Alex McLeish, as they seek only their fourth manager in the 14½ years since David Sullivan and David Gold took control.

"Each of those managers made improvements on their predecessor and took the club forward," said a statement issued by Birmingham. "The board will appoint a new manager within the next week and is looking forward to working with someone who can have an equally positive impact."

The club's prospective buyer, Carson Yeung, said yesterday that he plans to complete his takeover of City before the December 20 deadline.

Bruce will take over at Wigan on Monday after he settled a dispute in which Birmingham claimed he owed them £225,000 in image-rights payments. "It was a genuine mistake but it took the solicitors quite a while to resolve things," said Wigan's chairman, Dave Whelan.

"He is the man who will not only keep this club in the Premier League this season but continue the work of Paul Jewell and Chris Hutchings in building a legacy for the future. I want Steve to become a Wigan legend." Frank Barlow stays as caretaker for Wigan's testing trip to Arsenal today and Bruce's second spell as Latics manager begins with a home game against Manchester City a week today.

Jewell, out of work since he left Wigan at the end of last season, has said he does not want to be considered for the vacancies at Birmingham or with the Republic of Ireland. However he said he would return to club football as soon as the right offer comes.

Dave Allen has resigned as the chairman and a director of Sheffield Wednesday, fueling speculation of an imminent takeover. Leeds United have written to the FA requesting that their 15-point deduction hearing be referred to the high court rather than to FA arbitration.