Bryan Gunn could miss out on striker Liam Dickinson - because the player is being used as a carrot in a transfer tug-of-war between two Championship clubs.

Bryan Gunn could miss out on striker Liam Dickinson - because the player is being used as a carrot in a transfer tug-of-war between two Championship clubs.

The City boss is believed to be one of a number of managers looking at the Derby player, but may have to look elsewhere to fill the big hole in his front line.

Gunn will be keeping a close eye on Derby's attempts to prise Shaun Barker away from Blackpool, who have valued the defender at �1m.

Nigel Clough is reluctant to dig that deep in to his coffers - but he does have Dickinson as bait. The 23-year-old scored four goals during a loan spell at Blackpool last season and may be offered on a season-long loan deal.

“We've got a few clubs interested in Liam, but we'll just see how that one pans out,” said Derby chairman of football Adam Pearson.

Dickinson comes in at 6ft 4ins - just the type of player Gunn is looking for to complement an attack which currently numbers Jamie Cureton, Chris Martin and Cody McDonald.

Shrewsbury's Grant Holt is also reportedly on Gunn's shopping list, but he faces competition from League One rivals Colchester - even though Shrews manager, Paul Simpson, says the player is going nowhere.

Meanwhile, former Canaries coach Adam Sadler has been appointed assistant manager to Mick Tait at Blue Square North side Blyth Spartans.

“He coached the goalkeepers and then the reserves at Newcastle and joined the Norwich City coaching staff, only for Glenn Roeder to be sacked just after he had arrived at Carrow Road,” said Tait.

“He is an up-and-coming coach and very enthusiastic, but if he gets an offer to return to the professional game then he'll go with our best wishes.”

t Former Norwich City chief executive Neil Doncaster's place on the Football League board has gone to Derby chairman of football Adam Pearson.

Pearson, who served on the board between June 2006 and June 2007, was voted in as one of the three Coca-Cola Championship representatives to sit on the eight-man panel, replacing the outgoing Doncaster following the Canaries' relegation and his departure from Carrow Road.

Pearson joins David Sheepshanks (Ipswich), Terry Robinson (Sheffield United), Peter Powell (Colchester), Lorraine Rogers (Tranmere) and Tony Kleanthous (Barnet) on the board. Chairman Lord Mawhinney and independent non-executive director Ian Ritchie complete the line-up.