Former Dale Keeper Linked With Spurs…

Former Dale keeper Stephen Bywater is being linked with a move to Spurs by The Derby Evening Telegraph.

Bywater appeared just once for Dale where he let in six goals up at Carlisle. It would certainly be a suprise move to say the least and you’d have to say the article is a little vague. Here it is in full…

Bywater targeted by Spurs

By Steve Nicholson

Derby County goalkeeper Stephen Bywater could be heading back to the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur.


Bywater, who was third choice for the Rams at one stage last season, is being lined up for a move to White Hart Lane.


The 27-year-old joined Derby from West Ham United for £375,000 in August 2006 and has made 62 appearances.


He was signed by Billy Davies and proved a key figure in the team that won promotion from the Championship in 2006-7.


Bywater was an ever-present in the top flight last season until he damaged his shoulder at Newcastle shortly before Christmas.


Lewis Price came in for nine games and, by the time Bywater was fit, manager Paul Jewell had landed Roy Carroll from Rangers and Price had been installed as number two.


A four-month loan spell at Ipswich Town followed for Bywater. He played 17 games but the Tractor Boys did not follow up their interest and he returned to Derby.


He has been training and playing during pre-season – he started Tuesday’s victory over Rushden & Diamonds – but Jewell recently admitted that the Rams could not run with three keepers in the Championship and one of Bywater or Price could leave.


Bywater would find himself behind Brazilian Heurelho Gomes at Tottenham. Gomes was signed by Spurs boss Juande Ramos from Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven only last month.
Tottenham need to strengthen their goalkeeping department after selling England international Paul Robinson to Blackburn Rovers for £3.5m this week.


Seventeen-year-old Oscar Jansson played in last night’s 5-1 victory over Leyton Orient and Radek Cerny, who was on loan at Tottenham last season from Slavia Prague, is now at Queen’s Park Rangers.