Hartson move dead as fog scuppers Dons

Wimbledon manager Terry Burton fears John Hartson's £5 million dream move to Coventry is all but dead.

Burton left the Wales striker out of his side for their FA Cup third-round replay with Notts County last night.

That match was abandoned after 51 minutes due to fog and the two teams are likely to restage the game next week.

Burton revealed today he felt there was little hope of Hartson moving to Coventry.

The transfer hit a sticking point after Coventry striker Cedric Roussel refused to sign for the Dons as part of the deal.

Burton told Standard Sport: "I do not think anything will happen unless there is a major re-structuring of the deal which has not looked likely. John wants it sorted out obviously because he is the one caught up in it all. If nothing is sorted out today then John will be in our squad for Saturday's game. John has has trained well with us all week but I felt it was not right for him to play against County.

"He is our player until such a time that something else happens and he knows that. He's been excellent about the whole thing but I believe he will now stay.

"I have not even spoken to Cedric Roussel. The deal has never even got that far. I have thought right from the off there were too many problems in the way for it to happen and unless there is another way of financing the deal from the Coventry side, I don't think anything will happen."

Coventry manager Gordon Strachan remains keen to land Hartson and that could mean an exit for front men Ysrael Zuniga, John Aloisi and Roussel in a bid to pay for the deal.

City chairman Bryan Richardson said: "We have notified clubs that we have play-ers available for transfer and hope someone comes in."

Dons chief executive David Barnard added that Coventry would be given another 48 hours to make a new bid.

He said: "Coventry asked us to keep the door open for the transfer and that is exactly what we will do, but only to the end of this week."

Last night's FA Cup replay was abandoned after Dean Blackwell had cancelled out Richard Liburd's first-half opener for the Second Division side.

The fog grew worse as the match wore on and by the time it was halted by referee Peter Walton, visibility was down to just five yards.

Burton said: "I was a bit surprised the referee decided to start the second half, but I guess it made it easier for him to abandon the game after we scored.

"The conditions were extremely difficult, even in the first half. The pitch was hard and slippery and the players had no chance of playing good football."

Walton said: "Before half-time I noticed the swirling fog and I decided to re-start the game after the break to see how we got on. But it was evident from the moment we kicked-off that it was becoming a farce."