NOTTINGHAM FOREST DAVE BASSETT has vowed to do everything possible to keep star striker Pierre Van Hooijdonk at the City Ground to spearhead Forest's Premiership challenge next season. The Dutch striker has scored 34 goals for the First Division champions this season which has inevitably increased speculation about his future at Nottingham. But Bassett, acutely aware of the need to survive the first season back in the top-flight, insisted the former Celtic marksman was part of his long-term plans despite reports that Newcastle manager Kenny Dalglish was considering an approach. "Pierre's obviously the star of the team in terms of the fans and we want him to stay with us," Bassett said. He's a great striker and has scored some marvellous goals for us this season. We haven't had any enquiries for him but there's been a lot of speculation. Pierre is the type of player who attracts a lot of speculation because of who he is." Bassett is determined to break the recent pattern of teams winning promotion to the Premiership only to make an immediate return to the First Division. Last season Bolton Wanderers were promoted even more emphatically than Forest have been this year but they already face a quick return to Nationwide action. To guard against this Bassett is looking to bring in new talent to the City Ground over the summer. "We haven't got the world's biggest squad and need to strengthen it for next season in the Premiership," he said. MIDDLESBROUGH RETIRING Middlesbrough skipper Nigel Pearson has predicted his team-mates will enjoy a longer stay in the Premiership in the post-Ravanelli era. Boro were relegated from the top-flight at the time of asking 12 months ago despite 16 league goals from the temperamental Italian but Pearson is convinced they will not suffer the same fate again. "Everyone learned from that experience," Pearson said. "I'm certain Boro won't make the same mistakes as last time round and I know Bryan Robson and the chairman Steve Gibson have plans to make sure the club goes from strength to strength. "The fans have been marvellous - so supportive when things have occasionally hit a hitch and they deserve all the success the players can offer them in years to come. But my one regret about my time at Middlesbrough was that in reaching three Wembley finals, we failed to win a cup." Pearson, 34, is retiring after 16 season sin the professional game with only three different clubs. His appearance in Boro's promotion-clinching 4-1 defeat of Oxford at the Riverside was his 449th in League football and his final manager Bryan Robson paid him a fitting tribute after the game. "Nigel will be a great loss to the game," Robson said. "He's shown a great example to others and I'm delighted he's going out on such a high. We only want what's best for Nigel." SUNDERLAND SUNDERLAND may have narrowly missed out on automatic promotion to the Premiership but manager Peter Reid has promised the club's legions of fans that there will be no let-up in the quest to make an immediate return to the top-flight. The Wearsiders did all that they could to ensure they would not have to endure the tension of the play-offs with a 2-1 victory at Swindon but Middlesbrough's 4-1 demolition of Oxford meant Sunderland had to keep the promotion champagne on ice. After the game, Reid spent 20 minutes on the pitch talking to Sunderland fans and vowed to make their Premiership dreams come true. "The supporters have been fantastic today, as they have been all season," Reid said. "If any set of supporters deserve top-flight football it's them. We must do it for them. We're all disappointed because we haven't gone up automatically but we'll fight tooth and nail to get this club and our supporters into the Premiership." Sunderland now face Sheffield United in the play-off semi-final .The Blades, who finished sixth in the First Division table, have had a rollercoaster season and Reid acknowledged they would be a tough nut to crack. "Sheffield United have had a remarkable season, sacking their manager and still reaching an FA Cup semi-final, and are there on merit so they will be two hard games for us," Reid said. "But if anyone had said in October we'd reach the play-off semi-finals I'd have laughed. It's up to us now to lift the players for the challenge ahead." Reid revealed he had tried to keep news of Middlesbrough's emphatic victory, which denied Sunderland a priceless top-two finish, from his players but his plans were sabotaged by the reaction of the crowd. "When you get deadly silence in a football ground, it tells you something. I'm not the brightest but it doesn't take Einstein to work out what's happening," Reid said.

SIGHS OF RELIEF AND DESPAIR AT BOTTOM   MANCHESTER CITY Under-fire Manchester City chairman David Bernstein has apologised to fans after the club was relegated for the second time in three seasons. City have the ignominy of Second Division next season but Bernstein has pleaded with the Maine Road faithful to back the club despite this massive latest body blow. "We know your patience has been stretched to the limits but my colleagues and I are determined to deliver and ask for your continued support," Bernstein said. "City's fortunes are at an all-time low and I make an unequivocal apology for that. Failure over such a long period is inexcusable." City now face a summer of upheaval both on and off the pitch with vice president Raymond Donn still waiting to discover if his £50m takeover bid will be accepted. On the field, City manager Joe Royle has already promised a far-reaching clear-out amongst the playing staff. "There's no doubt there are big decisions to be made this summer," Royle said. "It will be more a case of who we want to leave rather than who wants to leave us. "We must make decisions and look positively towards next season. Certainly there are a number of players who won't be with us next season." READING Tommy Burns, manager of bottom-club Reading, remained upbeat despite his side's 1-0 defeat against Norwich and has promised it will be a new and improved Royals side on show in the Second Division next season. Burns watched Reading, who were already relegated before this weekend's action, lose their last-ever match at Elm Park before a summer switch to the Madejski Stadium. But he insisted his team would be remodelled by the start of next season and revealed he wanted to build his own team over the summer. "I want to make changes here and plan to speak to the chairman John Madejski this week to find out what money is available to do that," said Burns, who has already brought in seven new signings since taking over in late March. Reading's major problem this season has been their abysmal defensive record. The Royals conceded 78 goals in their 46 league games and Burns will certainly be in the market for a number of defenders if Madjeski can find the money for transfers. STOKE CITY Wales and Everton legend Neville Southall has confirmed he wants to be Stoke City's next manager despite the Potters' relegation. Caretaker boss Alan Durban announced he was stepping down after Stoke's 5-2 defeat by Manchester City which prompted Southall to put his cards on the table. "I want to stay at Stoke and I want to play for the club," Southall confessed. "I would like the job as manager but there would have to be changes. But any time a club goes down there is always a change of personnel." Southall was signed on a free transfer from Everton in March for the final 12 games of the season. He has failed to help the Potters avoid the drop and admitted the experience was one of the worst in his illustrious career. "This is the lowest point of my career because we've gone down and it was an embarrassing defeat in front of our fans," Southall said. "What is sad is that to be in the First Division you are always close to the Premiership, now we face at least two seasons before we can even think about that again." The former Wales keeper argued Stoke's problems had started well before the trip to Maine Road on Sunday and that life in the Second Division would be a culture shock for the dejected Potters. "Relegation wasn't just about one game, it was about the whole season." Southall said. "You need a different type of player in the Second Division. It's horses for courses and it's a different league altogether." PORTSMOUTH Portsmouth boss Alan Ball admitted steering Pompey to First Division safety ranked as the greatest achievement in what has otherwise been a chequered managerial career. Ball led Portsmouth to the old First Division in 1987 but he rates his Houdini act at Fratton Park this season as even better. "I came here with 19 matches to left and a mountain a to climb and people must have thought I was daft taking on the job," Ball said. "I knew ultimately if it had gone wrong I'd have been blamed for the relegation situation "But I was prepared to be strong and I wanted to something with Portsmouth football club and everybody's rewarded me with a superb last 18 or 19 games." Portsmouth guaranteed their First Division survival with 3-1 victory at Bradford on Sunday For Ball it was the climax of an inspired rearguard action but the former World Cup winner was quick to pay tribute to the part played by the Pompey fans in the club's successful relegation battle "Everybody concerned has worked tirelessly, especially the fans," Ball said. "They are an object lesson in how to support a football club and they've lifted everybody. "They wouldn't even think of getting beat and the players responded to that. It was marvellous and I just hope and pray Portsmouth are never in this position again for a long time."

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