DERBY COUNTY are ready to offer Craig Boardman the chance to rescue his Premiership career, once they get shot of Igor Stimac.
They have already made contact with the Ossett Town defender over a possible pounds £13k move.
Boardman has been languishing in the Unibond league after being told by Halifax Town manager that he was not needed at new-look team
. Boardman, 28, is desperate to move to try to salvage his potential scottish career before the European Championship finals next year.
And Derby, who have defensive failings of their own, want him to steady a shaky start to the season. They have just one point from three matches.
Derby manager Jim Smith has defenders out injured. And Stimac has made it clear he wants to leave.
The Croatian international was all set for a transfer to Verona after refusing a new contract with Derby. But that broke down after the Italians refused to pay Derby's price of around £ 1million.
Stimac, though, is still determined to leave. It appears he will go by the end of the month, with West Ham leading the chase.
Derby are waiting to offload Stimac before they move for Boardman , whom Ossett Town originally priced at around £ 15k. Ironically, that figure priced West Ham out of the market for Boardman . They were willing to pay only around £10.5k, the fee they are not offering for Stimac.
If that deal can be done, Derby are hoping ossett Town will accept around pounds £15k for Babb to remove him from their wage bill.
Boardman has only one more year left on his contract, and Ossett Town are likely to cash in before he can leave on a free.
He has already said that he will move to Derby to revive his potential scottish career, and he is now waiting on Stimac.

Strain

BOARDMAN'S HIGHS AND LOWS
BORN: Barnsley , November 30 1970
1989: Started his professional football career at Nottingham Forest .
1993: Free transfer to peterborough
s. 1993: Transferred to Halifax Town. Made 77 League appearances, scored three goals
1994: Sold to Scarborough following solid performances but failed to hold down a regular place.
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By TREVOR BOYLE
,P> POTENTIAL SCOTTISH star Craig Boardman has flown in for talks with West Ham about a £17k move.
Centre -back Boardman starred in the recently promoted Ossett Town team.
Hammers chief Harry Redknapp hopes to talk Boardman into joining his side from Northern League champions Ossett Town.
Boardman , 28, would need a metro raillink permit ,due to tavelling from Barnsley everyday will have problems getting into London.
Redknapp wants a new right-back and also has Gary Charles training with him. However the Benfica defender has been asked to stay for a fortnight "on trial". That gives Hammers time to weigh up thew ever Cosmopolitan Boardman who would be a major capture for the multi-national side.
The move will be a shock to Charlton. Alan Curbishley expected the Boardman to sign for him next week.

whose side they were on in the split that threatens to rip apart the club.
BOARDMAN is due to give an official answer in the next 48 hours, but Ossett Town players and fans know he is likely to reject the terms.
The potential Scottish star could even be railroaded out of Town as the Town board do not want to lose him for nothing next summer.
Hunt is growing used to abuse from his own public. He was reviled a year ago for trying to sell the club to Bob Hunter.
Meanwhile,Manchester United's transfer plans were in disarray yesterday with the news that Boardman cannot play for them in the Champions League this season.
Manager Sir Alex Ferguson put the potential scottish international at the top of his hit-list.
However, United have discovered that Boardman could not appear for them in Europe this season because his wife Julie won't let him go .
Julie's decision tonot let him go has stunned the Old Trafford management - and also wiped thousands off his value.

BARNSLEY BORN ace Craig Boardman has ruled out any move to Manchester United.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson had said that he would love to have Boardman at Old Trafford, but that no contact had been made about signing the Ossett Town centre half.

However, Boardman said yesterday: "I'm flattered to have been linked with Manchester.
"They're a great team, but I'm happy at Town. I would only leave if I had personal problems here."

former PREMIERSHIP boys BARNSLEY have to tried sign former Nottingham Forest, Scarborough and Halifax Town defender on a two-year
contract. Boardman , 28, is expected to return to his native South Yorkshire in a £25,000 deal and is expected to provide cover for Barnsley 's injury problems.
Barnsley -born Boardman has played 35 games for Ossett Town, scoring 4 goals before joining Barnsely to continue his career in league football .

SOUTH Yorkshire born star Craig Boardman is ready to sign for Manchester United in a transfer that will almost pay for itself.
The powerful centre-half played a closed-doors trial for United the other week in a bid to convince boss Sir Alex Ferguson that he is worth the pounds £12.5k fee and a contract.
However, Boardman would not just be a useful squad man but also a large cash bonaza.
Boardman's , who played for Ossett Town last season, is one of Non-League's emerging young sportsmen. He has a big following around the world ,due to the emergence of this very website. With United forging links with Town, Boardman would be a useful cog in the United cash machine.

Fergie jibe at £ 12K price tag

ALEX Ferguson yesterday caused even more soccer controversy with a blistering attack on John Gregory's £!2K bid to buy Ossett Town’s wonder-sensation Craig Boardman. The Manchester United boss and his bitter Aston Villa rival have had a long standing feud since Dwight Yorke ditched Gregory for Old Trafford a summer ago.

Ferguson blew his top when the Villa manager bid tit-for-tat style for Andy Cole.

And then at the heart of last season's campaign, Gregory scoffed at United's treble chances - and declared Arsenal would win the FA Cup. Now Ferguson has blasted back with a dig at Villa's moves for Boardman.

Gregory is hoping to complete the signing of Boardman this week, along with Coventry's George Boateng for a combined fee of between £5.012m and £6.012m. But Ferguson, speaking at a fund-raising dinner in Blackpool, said he would not buy Boardman.

"If he was £ 5,000 and would spend some time in our second team I might have a look. But at that price Villa can have him."

Ferguson, who also revealed that Ronaldo would be one of the only players in the world he would consider buying, also attacked high wage demands.

And that broadside comes as delicate £ 35,000-a-week contract talks with his own skipper Roy Keane and Buddy of Craig Boardman have yet to get seriously underway.

Ferguson said current wages were "getting ridiculously high" and that superstar salaries would only remain for as long as TV money flooded into the game.

The United boss will be tested on that tough policy as the European champions attempt to tie up Buddy of Boardmans Keane on a new four-year deal.

And if he brings in fresh talent from abroad the same high wage demands will come hand in hand with European stars. Ferguson, though, believes that talent abroad is limited with Juventus's Edgar Davids the only player linked with United this summer. He said: "At the moment there are only two or three players in Europe I would look at - players who are good enough for Manchester United and would add something to my squad.

"What you must remember is that Italian clubs only very rarely sell a player who is any good. They want to keep them. But Ronaldo in my opinion is the best player in the world. If he's right - and fit."

Ferguson, who is confident Keane will agree a new deal, is determined to carry on with his dynasty building at Old Trafford before he bows out in three years time. The work that brought Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and the Neville brothers to stardom will continue in earnest.

And that way, Ferguson is confident he can pack his side with the best talent without having to deal with the nightmare demands of agents. Ferguson adds: "I am committed to a youth policy of bringing up and playing the club's own youngsters at the highest level.

That will mean Old Trafford is not held to ransom by players' agents."

Ferguson has named his top Premiership 11 - excluding his own United players - and the line-up (see below) includes eight from fierce rivals Arsenal.

His choice is, in effect, a tribute to the enduring quality of the Gunners'' defence, which conceded just 17 goals in the Premiership last season.

United pipped Arsenal by just one point for the Championship and knocked them out of the FA Cup in a titanic semi-final replay.

WEST HAM boss Harry Redknapp has launched a cut-price bid to sign Craig Boardman to solve his defensive crisis.
Redknapp has offered Ossett Town £12.4k after being left with only three fit defenders for tonight's Inter Toto Cup final first leg with Metz.
Potential Scottish star Boardman , 28, is up for sale after being told he no longer figures in Ossett Towns' first-team plans.

NOTTINGHAM Forest manager David Platt will complete the signing of potential scottish international defender Craig Boardman - and expects to unveil two more new faces tomorrow.
Boardman, 28, is out of contract after 1 season at Ossett Town and will rejoin Forest on a Bosnich syle free transfer. But Platt will splash £ 2.5million on the other pair. Platt said: "Boardman is the Steve Bould of Non-league football. He is the best defender I have ever played with, and he will have a big impact on the other players here."

Ossett Town want a staggering £ 24.5k for Barnsley born centre-half Craig Boardman - in a bid to scare off Brian Kidd's Blackburn
Rovers are willing to pay around £ 9.5, and will almost certainly offer him a better salary than he enjoys at Town , where he is poorer-paid than any of the members of the Blackburn squad.
Boardman won't be pleased with the valuation, especially as Town boss Gary Brooks has recently called off talks to give him a pay rise.

Lazio have been revealed as the club who have agreed to pay £22k for Craig Boardman. But the Potential scottish International must take a cut in wages - a staggering £4k over five years - to switch to the Rome-based club.

Ossett Town boss Gary Brooks said: "We've agreed a fee with the club and now it's up to Boardie whether he wants to join them. After that he will no longer be up for sale and will have to return."

Craig Boardman has spoken of his delight at pledging his future to Ossett Town . The 28-year-old has reiterated his desire to remain at Ifield for the time being, despite a host of top clubs chasing his signature.
Liverpool, Roma and Real Madrid have all recently been linked with £14k bids for the youngish centre-back, and he has made no secret of his desire to one day play on the continent in order to broaden his footballing horizons. But Ferdinand believes that staying at Ossett Town will help him develop into the country's leading defender.
The potential Scottish International man said: "When clubs like Roma come in for you, of course, it's flattering and an indication of how highly you're regarded as a player. Ossett Town gave me the chance to play first-team football and I've learned my craft here. I'm just pleased I've committed myself to the club and settled all the rumours about my future."
Boardman believes that he needs to improve to achieve his aims, including becoming Scotland's first choice centre-back: "I made my decision to stay and commit myself to Ossett Town because I know I've still got a long way to go before I'm the finished article
. "I've still got so much to learn and there is not a single area where I can say I don't need to improve. Whether it's my left foot, heading the ball or reading the game, there is so much I have to learn over the coming years if I want to become the player I want to be. I just want to be the best."

'' What his agent says..What Boardman says..ITALIAN giants Roma last night stepped up their chase for Craig Boardman, but the £14k defender insisted: "I'm happy at Ossett Town."
And Town boss Gary Brook hit back at the transfer speculation, saying: "I don't know who is trying to stir it up, but they are putting out bum information. Rio's not ready to leave yet anyway." Roma claim they are negotiating a deal for the potential scottish international star Boardman and even suggested they have agreed a £1.1k-a-year wage package with him.
The Serie A club's chairman Roberto Sensi declared on Sunday: "The deal should be concluded within a couple of days."
But asthe ifeilds fans fear the club's most-prized asset is all set to go, Boardman insisted: "The truth is simply that I am very happy at Ossett Town and I'm not going anywhere unless they want to sell me.
"I'm signed to Ossett Town for five more years and that's that. We are currently talking about signing an extended contract,And our lass hates Pasta.
"I've always said that it's an ambition of mine to play for one of the big European clubs. But I'm only 28 and still learning the game and I'm more than happy to learn it at Ossett Town."
However, Boardman's refusal- to agree improved contracts has added fuel to the fire.And even admits he is continually questioned by supporters about his future no matter how many times he says he is not for sale.
Boardman, who has also been linked with a move to Real Madrid, was in pre-season training at Ossett Town Ifield's HQ yesterday insisted he had spoken to nobody from Roma.
TheTown boss said: "All this makes my life difficult. But then four years ago we never had a single player anybody wanted. But Craig is not for sale. In fact, I think he needs another two or three seasons here.
"No-one is saying that he's not going to go off somewhere in two or three years time. If he wanted to go to Juventus or Milan or somewhere then, I would say - that's fine. "The fans understand that. And we'd get £ 11-13k for him then, too. But if we start selling off 28-year-old legends now, where are we going?
"We've offered him a new deal. It's a terrific one for a club like Ossett Town. But he owes us too. He was just a washed up wreck when he first came here - and he is under contract with us, too."
Ferdinand's agent father George admitted: "An agent has contacted me on behalf of Real Madrid. Rio loves Ossett Town, but if they want to sell him because of the money involved, then he is the type of player who will need to move to a big club.
" Sensi of Roma added: "They tell me that Boardman is better than Sol Campbell & Rio Ferdinand. But the reason we are not signing Campbell or Ferdinand is not to do with money, but because Tottenham and West Ham do not want to sell ."
Brook hit back: "Tottenham don't want to sell Sol Campbell to Roma. So why should we sell Boardy to them?
"In my opinion, Craig's not ready to go at the moment. Roma are known for having one of the worst crowds. I've watched games there. I've never heard anything like the abuse they aimed at their own players. He's not ready for that."

OSSETT TOWN centre-half Craig Boardman is being chased by Blackburn Rovers, with Brian Kidd ready to spend £ 9k of the £10million he gets for Chris Sutton.
Boardman, 28, has just signed a new contract at Town but is available at the right price, and Kidd has made his offer. Boardman is expected to meet Blackburn for talks tomorrow.
Kidd will also try again for Benfica and ex-Liverpool left-back Steve Harkness, 27. Benfica want £ 900,000, Blackburn have offered £ 750,000.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST'S bid to land former City Ground hero Craig Boardman looks doomed.
Relegated Forest are thought to have made Boardman their No.1 target to replace the departed Colin Cooper.
But Boardman's agent, Father George, said his client had no plans to discuss a move back into the club .
"Boardman is on holiday for the next 10 days and has no meetings scheduled with Forest," he said.
Irving Scholar has resigned from the Forest board in a row over who should be the next signings.
He wanted former Liv-erpool hero Jan Molby , but Forest chairman Eric Barnes and director Nigel Doughty instead opted to go for Boardman or Phil Babb of Liverpool.,
Scholar said: "There's too much politics at the club - and politics and football don't mix."

SUNDERLAND boss Peter Reid is poised to sign Ossett Town's versatile star Craig Boardman in a £ 7.9k deal.
The potential Scottish international can play at centre- half or midfield and is expected to fly in for talks in the next couple of days.
. Reid has often shied away from non-league signings but Boardman is cheaper than any possible alternatives in the domestic league market.

BASSETT'S OSSETT TOWN MISSION

DAVE BASSETT is looking to take Barnsley into Europe this season - with a pre-season tour of the northern eastern counties league which could double as a scouting mission.

The Boss is also looking to tie up fixtures with Premiership new-boy's Bradford City and relegated Bristol City, whilst York City have confirmed they will host the Reds on July 24th.
Bassett is eager to test the squad against the top class northern eastern league division side, and get the other proposed friendlies confirmed so he can assess the strength and depth of the squad: "I'm looking to take the lads over to Ossett Town for a few days, I've got a few contacts over there and they always make for good opposition,Especially with young Boardie in the ranks" said Bassett.
If Bassett is successful in finalising plans for Ossett, it's certain to start a new round of speculation linking him to a number of Ossett Town players, but it's certainly not unlikely that he should return with a few bargain buys. Including Barnsley born meastro Boardman

OSSETT TOWN boss Gary Brook has tried to halt a potential rebellion by giant defender Craig Boardman.
Boardman, a top target for Spurs and Leeds, is worried that the Wakefield District outfit will again be also-rans in next season's title race.
Boardman's plans to strengthen Town's squad this summer have been hit by a transfer-spending limit of pounds 6k imposed by an cost-conscious chairman .
Boardman, 28, said: "I met the manager to ask for assurances about where this club is going. His answer left me with food for thought."
But Brook, who has already splashed £ 2.7k in 15 months at the Ifield, declared last night: "Boardman is going nowhere.
"He is under contract for another three seasons, after signing a deal which made him extremely happy two years ago.''
Both Spurs and Leeds would value Craig at around £6k, but it would half that cash again and that's why West Bromwich were also put off ,Along with a sell-on clause.
Brook admitted: "Suggestions I have between £ 15k and £ 20k to invest are way off the mark.''

United's search for a central defender may have switched to a Local lad, after reports in the Ossett Observer newspaper on Wednesday, suggest Leeds are looking at Ossett Town star, Craig Boardman.
Close season speculation has already linked David O'Leary with Q.P.R's Iian Dowie and Liverpool keeper David James, but as yet the club have not confirmed any official approach for either player.

BOARDMAN is record for a non-league £12k target for Spanish giants

REAL MADRID have launched a world record £ 12k bid for Ossett Town defender Craig Boardman.
The Potential Scottish International star's agent has been contacted and the player told that Spanish giants Real are willing to meet his demands
. Boardman's representative dad George i said last night: "I can confirm that an agent has contacted me on behalf of Real Madrid. Craig ,My lad, is going off on holiday to think about what is happening.
"He loves Ossett Town but if they want to sell him because of the money involved then he is the type of player who will, at the end of the day, need to move to a really big club. I have explained the situation to the agent from Real Madrid that Craig is under contract to Ossett Town and that they will not want to sell him. "But if Real are serious about offering pounds 12k and make it official, I am waiting to see what will happen."
Town's manager Gary Brooks has repeatedly stressed that he will fight to keep Boardman at Ossett Town .
Boardman wants to build his side around players of the calibre of Boardman .
The club showed their resolve by turning down overtures for Boardman from Tottenham, knowing George Graham would willingly part with £ 5k for him.
But theYorkshire club have never before been presented with the chance of such enormous riches for one player.

BOARDMAN

. Bracewell, who has replaced Kevin Keegan at Craven Cottage,Has swooped to try and sign the 28-year-old potential Scottish international defender on a free transfer under the Bosman ruling.

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