Boro Veto Vickers Move

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 26/07/2001

MIDDLESBROUGH have rejected Lennie Lawrence's audacious attempt to persuade veteran central defender Steve Vickers to join Grimsby in a season-long loan. Lawrence had himself had described the move for the 33-year-old defender, who has a year left on his contract, as a "long shot".

"....Steve is part of my plans and I've told Grimsby that...."

Boro boss Steve McClaren confirmed that the Teeside club had not been tempted by Lawrence's wooing of Vickers: "We did receive an enquiry from Grimsby Town regarding a loan deal for Steve. But there's no chance of that happening. Steve is part of my plans and I've told Grimsby that."

The Grimsby boss is unlikely to make a second attempt to persuade Vickers to join the Mariners, particularly as he now reportedly faces competition from First Division giants Manchester City for the Bishop Auckland-born defender.

The Grimsby manager has just under two weeks left before the start of the season to find a replacement for Peter Handyside, a requirement that if anything has heightened today with the news that Steve Livingstone is in doubt for Saturday's friendly clash with St Mirren after from suffering calf muscle problems. The burly striker, who has also had a spell in central defence during Alan Buckley's final year, had to visit a clinic in Sweden to try and get to the bottom of the problem, after missing all three matches during the tour.

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