Crystal Palace have rubbished mounting speculation that striker Clinton Morrison will move to a Premiership club in the summer if the Eagles do no gain promotion this season.

With the Eagles languishing in tenth place in Division One, the Republic of Ireland striker, 22, was quoted in several national newspapers saying he is aware of interest from Premiership Sunderland, but that he would prefer to move to London club.

He was quoted as saying: "My ambition is to play at the highest level and test myself against the best - I am at a prime age.

"I think something is going to happen this summer."

But Palace chairman Simon Jordan told the Guardian: "He didn't say that if Palace weren't in the play-offs he'd be off. He turned round and said he wanted to play Premiership football, that's his ambition, that's what he wants to realise. By the same token on Sunday he turned round and said his commitment is to Palace. The accuracy of some of the reporting is very poor."

With the Eagles lying six points off the play-offs, the prospect of Morrison playing top-flight football with Palace is looking remote, but both Francis and Jordan believe the Eagles can still get enough points from their remaining six games to grab sixth place.

Jordan said: "I think that the players need a bit of confidence and belief and if they can get that then there's still a good chance that we can reach the play-offs."

"We need to win five out of six games. I think we can beat Walsall and Norwich, I think we can beat Birmingham, I know we can beat Crewe, and it comes down to Preston and West Brom who will have their own issues."

With West Brom lying in third, the closing day fixture against Palace could mean very little to them, handing the Eagles a last minute play-off life-line.

But in the meantime Palace have to overcome the goal-drought at Selhurst Park, which has seen them draw four consecutive blanks. Francis said: " There was always going to be a time when the goals dried up for Clinton and Dougie. We are very dependent on our front players and we have got to look to score from other areas."

And unlike some of the supporters, Jordan is willing to give Francis the time he needs to win promotion.

"I think that we have to look at this season and be a little bit disappointed with what's happened, but also look at the reality of what we have had to entertain with management changes, injuries and new players coming."

And he denied speculation that Francis' contract, which has three years to run after this season, is dependent on the Eagles gaining promotion this season

He said: "Trevor is on a fixed term contract, like all managers.

"Of course he's accountable for his results, and a fixed term contract may become a shorter one but that's not the case with Trevor. He's got a job to do and he's early in the days of it and he needs time. If after time things don't go right then you look at it differently, but he hasn't had the time."

March 21, 2002 15:30