Halford swapping the Cats for Wolves

Jul 3 2009 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

It proved a successful loan spell at Bramall Lane, with Halford impressing in a variety of positions and scoring some high-profile goals. The Blades would have loved to have made the arrangement permanent, but losing the play-off final to Burnley made them unable to afford him.

The suspicion remained, however, that while well suited to the Football League, Halford was unable to transfer his talents to the top-flight.

It was a criticism of Mick McCarthy’s final season at the Stadium of Light that he signed “Championship” players to play in the Premier League. Wolves fans must hope this deal bucks that trend.

With instalments Chopra’s fee could rise to £3m.

Anthony Stokes has also been put on the market at considerably less than the £2m Sunderland paid for him in January 2007, and his current club may even have to subsidise his wages to soften the blow.

Meanwhile, former Northern Ireland international Alan Fettis is to join the academy as a goalkeeping coach.

Sunderland’s young goalkeepers have been without a permanent coach since Tim Carter’s death in the summer of 2008. The much-travelled Fettis spent last term coaching League Two Cheltenham Town having previously been chief scout, and the Robins were hoping to keep him longer.

Manager Martin Allen said: “I was conscious a contract had not been agreed because we have wanted to sort it out all summer,” said manager Martin Allen.

Fettis, whose club career took in Ards, Hull City, West Bromwich Albion, Nottingham Forest, Blackburn Rovers, Leicester City, York City, Sheffield United, Grimsby Town, Macclesfield Town and Bury is thought to have recently turned down a coaching position at Carlisle.