Hull City will back their forward Craig Fagan should he decide to take legal action against Newcastle's Danny Guthrie over the tackle that broke his leg. Guthrie was sent off for hacking down Fagan in a crude challenge late in Saturday's English Premier League encounter at St James' Park. Hull manager Phil Brown called for strong disciplinary action but the Football Association confirmed yesterday the player would face only the mandatory three-match ban for the red card.
Hull chairman Paul Duffen, told the Daily Mirror: "This is the sort of incident that, had it happened in the street, would have been regarded as common assault. "I wouldn't want to prejudice any potential further action from Craig, yet what I will say is that he has the club's full support on this matter. We will be sitting down with him and discussing what to do, what decision or what action he might want to take.
"The timing of it for Craig and the implications, short term, for his career could be significant. "He was in the team, playing well and you have to take into account his earning ability in terms of performance bonuses and things like that." Fagan, signed from Derby this summer after a successful loan spell last season, could be out of action for up to three months. Meanhwile, Chelsea have confirmed Ray Wilkins as the club's new assistant first-team coach following the departure of Steve Clarke to West Ham.
The former Chelsea midfielder Wilkins embarks on his second coaching spell with the club, having previously worked under former manager Gianluca Vialli. The 52-year-old begins work immediately and steps into the role vacated by Clarke who resigned to team up with former Blues hero Gianfranco Zola, now in charge at West Ham. Wilkins will work closely with new Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari, and returns to the game after losing his coaching position with England Under-21s last year following Peter Taylor's exit and Stuart Pearce's subsequent appointment as head coach.
He became Chelsea's youngest captain at the age of 18 and was the club's player of the year on two occasions before moving on to Manchester United in 1979 after making 198 appearances and hitting 34 goals. He later played for clubs including AC Milan, Rangers and QPR, and won 84 England caps, before managing QPR and Fulham. * PA Sport
