TONY Mowbray will quit Hibs in the summer and land a top job in England. The Chatter understands that Mogga, and his trusted assistant Mark Venus, are favourites to fill the vacancy made by Steve McClaren, who looks odds on to land the England job.

TONY Mowbray will quit Hibs in the summer and land a top job in England. The Chatter understands that Mogga, and his trusted assistant Mark Venus, are favourites to fill the vacancy made by Steve McClaren, who looks odds on to land the England job.

And the duo, who have done an outstanding job on a frayed shoestring at Hibs, are also high on the Wolves' short-list as the Midlanders prepare to sack Glenn Hoddle.

Mowbray is still a legend at the Riverside, although he played when they were at Ayresome Park

It appears that McClaren has the support of many of the FA Board, although by no means all of them, with many people's favourite Martin O'Neill likely to lose out because he wants to take his own coaching staff, John Robertson and Steve Walford.

Perhaps the FA don't think having an Englishman, Irishman and Scotsman at the head of our national team such a wheeze.

Walford, who is Darren Currie's father-in-law, is the Englishman, in case you weren't sure.

Much hinges on the England job for many people, because those who don't follow Sven-Goran Eriksson will be in strong positions to land other jobs.

Alan Curbishley has clearly been affected by the whole process and has made him question his long term future at Charlton whether he gets the national position or not.

In readiness for his likely departure, Charlton have put George Burley high on their list of candidates - well, he has managed half the team before anyhow.

O'Neill is close to agreeing a deal with Newcastle United to take over and that will be a blow to Boro who have also sounded him out.

That takes us back to Mowbray and Venus managing in the Premiership.

IF Watford don't go up then it won't be through lack of planning and preparation. Aidy Boothroyd's innovative penalty shoot-out at the end of Watford's win over Ipswich on Monday may be scoffed at in some quarters but surely it is better to practise in as near to battle conditions as you can, than not at all.

Boothroyd admits he has taken the idea from World Cup winning coach Sir Clive Woodward, and while he may still be a novice in the round ball game, you can't argue with his record.

The principles of winning, anything are the same and in the service we had a saying that summed it up.

Fail to prepare and you prepare to fail.

JOHN Gorman has been granted compassionate leave from Wycombe Wanderers. After topping the League Two table, and looking certs for promotion, The Chairboys have slipped away with six straight defeats, although they are still among the play-off places.

Weeks after young player Mark Philo died in a tragic road crash, Gorman's wife Myra succumbed to cancer and passed away.

Although the former Blues and England coach tried to carry on with a brave face it has been difficult and he was worried that his feelings were affecting his young side and felt it was better that he were with his own family but will resume at the helm next season.

ROTHERHAM look as if they are going to be relegated even if they amass enough points from their last three games of the season after unveiling plans to go into voluntary administration.

The Merry Millers have already talked to creditors about the possibility of accepting a CVA and will look to confirm these options on May 5.

It seems Rotherham, rather naively, hope the Football League will hold off docking them 10 points until next season.

No chance.

THEY play in red and they come from Manchester but, unlike their big-name rivals, FC United have won their league.

A mate of mine on a national tells me Sir Alex Ferguson was less than amused when asked about the breakaway club's achievement and gave a typically Glaswegian dock worker's reply.

It does look increasingly unlikely, but it is not impossible, for AFC Wimbledon to take another step up the football pyramid, while the club that somehow kept its place in the league despite moving miles away and having a completely new name - the MK Dons - are set to slip yet another division.

AFC Wimbledon have moved up from the bottom of the heap to within striking distance of a play-off place in the Ryman Premier, which was won by George Borg's Braintree Town and a big well done to the Essex club.

Meanwhile, former Heybridge Swifts boss Garry Hill is close to notching another personal triumph with his club Weymouth closing in on the Nationwide Conference South title and Salisbury City, these days managed by an old mate of mine, Tommy Widdrington, have romped away with the Southern Premier League.