However, a number of reports have claimed he has occasionally lapsed into drinking again.Last night, his agent, Phil Hughes, said: “He is very, very poorly, but his condition is not life-threatening. [Hospital] is the best possible place and I’d expect him to be there for at least a week. It’s pneumonia, and definitely not alcohol related.”Mr Best is being treated with antibiotics. The hospital said he had issued strict instructions that the media were to be told nothing of his condition. However, one source said: “He is in good spirits and was chatting with the nurses. He’s on antibiotics and Alex is by his bedside.”I’m sure he’ll be fine.

There is talk of him going home by the end of the week.”Professor Williams, who has been treating Mr Best for his liver condition since last year, said: “He’s improving, I’m in touch with the doctors in Belfast and he’s under a very good specialist there.”He got pneumonia after suffering from a respiratory infection. It’s always worrying when someone gets an infection, but on the underlying [liver] problem I understand he’s been feeling better and things are looking improved.”Asked whether Mr Best, a regular patient, had been staying away from alcohol, Professor Williams replied: “Yes”.He added: “I last saw him about three weeks ago and his spirits were good He’s a good patient.”. The referee Paul Taylor could be thrown off the national list today if he is found guilty of verbally abusing a Notts County player while officiating during a Second Division game last October. The referee Paul Taylor could be thrown off the national list today if he is found guilty of verbally abusing a Notts County player while officiating during a Second Division game last October.
Taylor faces an independent panel at Birmingham City’s St Andrews ground today, where he will face charges stemming from a complaint brought against him by the Meadow Lane club, who have accused Taylor of using insulting language towards one of their players during the match against Wigan.The Notts County deputy chairman, Peter Storrie, insisted at the time that the Football Association was right to charge Taylor, saying: “Banter between referees and players is very good, but this unfortunately was somewhat more than banter. It wasn’t foul and abusive language, I can tell you that – it was something a little different and much worse than that,” Taylor is the first Premiership referee to be charged with misconduct.Second Division Swansea City have been put up for sale by their owners, Ninth Floor plc. The company’s half-yearlyfinancial report yesterday showed pre-tax losses of £797,000. It is expected the club will go on sale for £3m.The Swansea chairman, Neil McClure, assured fans that the company will not jeopardise the club’s Second Division status by pulling out before new buyers are found.

Swansea are third from bottom of the division.”Ninth Floor will continue to provide every financial assistance to Swansea City, until the process of the sale is completed,” McClure said. “Until then, I will continue to stay on as chairman of the club and, for the time being, it will be business as usual.”The Ipswich striker Marcus Stewart is to appeal against his red card against Leeds on Saturday after being dismissed by the referee Peter Jones for a foul on Ian Harte “I will definitely appeal,” he said “I barely touched the lad I am not a dirty player.”. Referee Paul Taylor has been “completely exonerated” by the Football Association, according to Premier League referees spokesman Keith Cooper. Referee Paul Taylor has been “completely exonerated” by the Football Association, according to Premier League referees spokesman Keith Cooper.
Taylor faced allegations that he made insulting remarks towards Notts County player Sean Farrell.The misconduct charge against Taylor had been “not proven” after a FA hearing that lasted more than four hours at St Andrews today.Taylor was alleged to have made the verbal attack on Farrell during the Second Division game against Wigan at Meadow Lane in October.. Terry Burton, the Wimbledon manager, is hoping lightning strikes twice when his side face Middlesbrough in the fourth round of the FA Cup at the Riverside Stadium tonight. Terry Burton, the Wimbledon manager, is hoping lightning strikes twice when his side face Middlesbrough in the fourth round of the FA Cup at the Riverside Stadium tonight.
Wimbledon have already knocked the Premiership team out of the Worthington Cup this season and Burton believes his players can repeat that feat.”If our players play to their peak performance then obviously there’s a possibility,” he said.

“On the occasion when we did beat them in the cup, we played very well but they were below standard on the day. If it’s the same situation again tonight, then yes, there’s a possibility that we can win.”Burton is well aware that a great deal has changed since the last time the sides met, with the former England coach Terry Venables transforming the North-east club’s fortunes.”Terry Venables is one of the top coaches in the game,” Burton said. “Since he took over, Middlesbrough have been unbeaten in 10 games, so it has changed things around completely.”Wimbledon will be without Dean Blackwell, who is still sidelined by an Achilles problem, while a late decision will be made on the fitness of Neil Ardley, who has been suffering from a virus.. When he scored on his debut for Manchester United in January 1973, Lou Macari remarked: “I like to give value for money”. When he scored on his debut for Manchester United in January 1973, Lou Macari remarked: “I like to give value for money”.
For the chairmen of most clubs outside the Premiership, there can be few better recommendations for a manager. The one time Macari had significant resources was his brief, unsuccessful return to Celtic and even then Parkhead was deep in the shadow of Rangers.

In low budget football, his record is substantial.Within four years he transformed Swindon Town from a side marooned in the Fourth Division to the brink of the old First before engineering a similar salvage operation at Stoke City. “Wherever I’ve been, funds have been limited and I mean limited,” said Macari, who is now dragging Huddersfield Town up by its bootstraps. “I’ve said to the owners that there are clubs who can spend and spend and still not win promotion so how do you expect us to do it without the financial backing? You have to do the best possible by ducking and diving, scrimping and scraping and making sure you pounce on a bargain.”Huddersfield represents Macari’s first job in management since 1997, when he walked out of Stoke on the eve of the last Potteries derby staged at the Victoria Ground to fight his case for unfair dismissal against Celtic. “If I lose, I’ll end up selling The Big Issue,” he quipped.Macari lost, did not return to management, and had to endure sharper, more unbearable, pain when his son, who had been on Nottingham Forest’s books, took his own life.In between, his time had been taken up commentating on Manchester United’s Champions’ League games – “incredible, seeing how the other half of football live” – and accepting an offer from Steve Bruce to be Huddersfield’s European scout.