Chris Sutton agreed to spend the most significant years of his career in East Lancashire yesterday when he signed a six-year contract. Just 12 months after Blackburn were in turmoil, their senior players are forming an orderly queue outside the office of the manager, Roy Hodgson, to sign long-term contracts.

At the age 24, and having recently graduated to England's senior side, Sutton could have been expected to keep open his countless options by declining any offer of a new deal.

But he did not, and he has instead put pen to paper on a contract which should keep him at Ewood Park until he is both viewing retirement and is financially secure for life. "After so much speculation it really does feel great to have my long-term future sorted out in this way," he said.

Sutton became Blackburn's record signing in 1994 when he joined them from Norwich City for £5 million, and his goals helped to secure the 1995 Premiership title.

Hodgson is proving to be a most persuasive man. Earlier this month, Scottish internationals Kevin Gallacher and Billy McKinlay also signed contracts.

"I think that we are all very happy with the current set up at Blackburn," said Sutton. "Things are going well, we are winning games and there is a great respect for the manager throughout the entire club."

The best laid plans of Sheffield Wednesday manager Ron Atkinson came apart at the seams yesterday when his attempts to sign Coventry City's former England B international defender David Burrows failed.

Atkinson had hoped to swap Burrows for Welsh international Mark Pembridge, but the deal was scuppered shortly before yesterday's noon deadline for transfers when the Wednesday midfielder announced he could not agree personal terms with Coventry.

Undeterred, Atkinson will seek to push through the package early next week.

Everton yesterday completed the signings of Sheffield United pair Carl Tiler and Mitch Ward, and both are likely to play in today's crucial Premiership fixture with fellow strugglers Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park.

Brad Friedel's dreams of playing for Liverpool have been wrecked by a Department of Employment decision to reject the American's application for a work permit. The decision came as a bitter blow to Liverpool as they prepared to face Arsenal tomorrow at Highbury.

The club had been confidently predicting all week that they had won the battle to sign Friedel, and had even hoped to fly him to England in time for the Arsenal match.

Although he has the right of appeal, it is the fourth time he has had an application rejected, and his advisors may consider that avenue is pointless. Friedel has had applications to join Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Southampton rejected, and has been forced to play in Europe for Brondby and Galatasaray.

The application was made seven weeks ago, and was held up by red tape and a High Court hearing over a similar application from Portsmouth over Australian keeper Zeljko Kalac.

Friedel played for the USA in the 1994 World Cup, but has been overtaken as their first choice keeper by Leicester's Kasey Keller.

A spokesman for the Department of Employment in London said: "The application has been rejected, we didn't feel that he met the criteria, in that he had to have played in 75 per cent of America's competitive internationals in the last two years."

It means that Liverpool manager Roy Evans, who has been in Norway watching potential signings, will have to look elsewhere for a top-line goalkeeper to put pressure on David James.

Liverpool are furious and are considering taking the matter further. In a statement, they said: "We find it incredible that it has taken so long to reach such an unsatisfactory conclusion.

"We fully intend to take further advice on the matter once we have received written confirmation of the Department of Employment's decision and their reasons for it."