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Bristol City have completed the signings of defender Liam Fontaine from Fulham and striker Enoch Showumni from Luton. 20-year old Fontaine had a loan spell with the Robins and joins the club on a free transfer, although City will need to compensate Fulham for his services as he is under 24. Showumni, 24, also comes to the West Country side on a free transfer, and, like Fontaine, has penned a two-year contract at Ashton Gate.
Northampton Town forward Martin Smith is interesting Darlington boss David Hodgson, the 31-year old being out of contract this summer at Sixfields. The Quakers manager faces severe competition for the signature of the former Sunderland, Sheffield United and Huddersfield man though, Smith having also been linked with Nottingham Forest. Huddersfield Town are poised to snap up ex-Carlisle United goalkeeper Matt Glennon on a free transfer from Scottish League Division One club St Johnstone. Glennon joined the Saints on a short-term contract from SPL outfit Falkirk in January, and the Perth outfit are reportedly unable to compete with the wage package Huddersfield are offering regarding a longer-term deal.
Hull City winger Kevin Ellison has rejected a move to Scunthorpe United despite the two clubs agreeing on a £100,000 fee for the 27-year old. Ellison has only started 26 league games for Hull since joining the Tigers, again for £100,000, from Chester City in January 2005, but has chosen to stay at the Kingston Communications Stadium and fight for a first-team place. Out-of-favour Burnley striker Gifton Noel-Williams, who still has a year on his contract to run with the Clarets, is mulling over a move to Brighton but admits that the fact that they are now in League One makes the transfer a less attractive proposition. The 26-year-old played seven games whilst on loan at the Seagulls last season but on a more permanent move he commented : "I enjoyed my time down at Brighton. If they were in the Championship still it wouldn't be an issue. I don't really want to go into the lower leagues."
Leyton Orient defender Gaby Zakuani expects to be with newly-promoted Leyton Orient for the forthcoming season. The 20-year old centre-half was a star player in the O's top three campaign and has attracted interest from Premiership outfit Fulham, although the Cottagers are only believed to be monitoring the progress of Zakuani at the moment. Two more Bournemouth players have agreed terms on new contracts at Dean Court, defender Warren Cummings and midfielder James Coutts both signing on the dotted line for one-year deals. 25-year old Scot Cummings has not played for the Cherries since March 2005 after breaking his leg but is now hoping to be fully fit at last for the start of next season. Meanwhile 19-year old Coutts featured 15 times for the Dorest outfit's first team in the 2005-06 campaign.
Cypriot midfielder Alexis Nicolas, who was one of five players released by Brighton at the end of last season, has revealed he has had offers from clubs in Portugal and Greece. The 23-year old unsurprisingly favours staying in the Championship, from which the Seagulls were relegated, but says he will not make a decision on his future until the end of this month. Tom Kearney, released by Bradford City at the end of May, looks set to link back up with ex-Bantams team-mates Danny Forrest and Jake Wright at Conference outfit Halifax Town. 24-year old midfielder Kearney being a former Everton trainee who moved to Bradford in March 2002 on a free transfer, only to make just 51 starts in four and a bit seasons for the West Yorkshire club.
Nottingham Forest have appointed a new goalkeeping coach in 32-year old ex-Barnsley glovesman Dave Watson. The one-time England under-21 international was forced to move into coaching after having to end his playing career early due to a knee injury. Watson joins former Northampton Town reserve team manager David Kerslake at the City Ground as new Forest boss Colin Calderwood looks to finalise his backroom staff for the season ahead. Meanwhile new Northampton boss John Gorman, who took over from the departing Calderwood last week, is looking forward to a better playing surface than he was used to at Wycombe Wanderers's Adams Park. The pitch in Buckinghamshire was also used by Premiership rugby union side London Wasps and that led to a bobbly surface that didn't help Gorman in his attempts to get to the Chairboys to play a fluid passing game.