Brunt eager to repay faith

FORMER OWL and recent West Bromwich Albion signing Chris Brunt is undergoing the frustration of not being able to feature for his new club - as he serves a three-match suspension.

Twenty-two-year-old winger Brunt, signed from Sheffield Wednesday for 3m, was dismissed for a challenge in a game against FC Groningen on The Owls' pre-season tour.

As a result he misses his new club's clash with Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Saturday, as well as the League Cup tie with Peterborough next week and Saturday's 2-0 win over Preston.

Brunt said: "West Brom have shown a lot of faith in me by paying the fee that Wednesday asked for, and I'm just glad to be here. Hopefully I can start repaying it as soon as possible"

Brunt's place was instead filled by Ishmael Miller, a season-long loan signing from Manchester City, who turned down a move to Hillsborough in favour of the Midlands.

"I could have gone to Preston, Hull or Sheffield Wednesday," revealed Miller, "but West Brom was my number one choice"

Belfast-born Brunt, who has been handed the number 29 shirt in his four-year deal at WBA, will be eligible for contention when Barnsley travel to the Hawthorns on September 1.

He is also in Northern Ireland's squad to play their Euro 2008 qualifier against Liechtenstein on Wednesday. Keith Gillespie of Sheffield United is also named in the squad.

n Derek Riordan's hopes of winning a move to Leicester City appear to be fading.

The Celtic striker - linked previously with the Owls - had wanted to re-ignite his career with a move to the English Championship but Leicester's interest is thought to have cooled.

Riordan, 24, has not featured for the Parkhead side this season and is desperate to start playing football again.

His agent claimed the gifted frontman was in line to join Leicester this week after being linked previously with Sheffield Wednesday and Norwich City.

However, Leicester manager Martin Allen has decided not to make an approach for the Scotland cap, it has been reported.