Town's Jon Stead and Alan Quinn are likely to be amongst a number of current and former Sheffield United players looking into suing West Ham for loss of earnings as a result of the Carlos Tevez affair. Quinn left Bramall Lane for Portman Road in January with Stead following him a few weeks ago.

Earlier in the week, an independent Football Association tribunal ruled that Sheffield United should be compensated up to £30 million by the Hammers and the players relegated with Neil Warnock's side are now keen to discover whether they are also due recompense.

Chris Farnell of IPS Law confirmed that he had been in talks with members of the relegated Blades team: "I've been contacted by various players with a view to looking at this claim, but at this stage I can say no more than that.”

Sheffield United's players are likely to have received significant drops in their wages after their 2007 relegation from the Premier League, in addition to losing bonuses which would have been due had the Blades escaped relegation.

Interviewed on the subject earlier in the week, Jon Stead said that although he was unaware of the precise situation, he was considering speaking to his agent regarding the possibility of legal action.

Meanwhile, Town defender Alex Bruce is still waiting to be offered a new deal by the Blues, according to his father, Wigan boss Steve.

Town have said a deal is on the table, but Bruce senior says he is unaware of the new terms: "I do know for a fact that he is waiting for an offer. There has been nothing put to him that he can consider so far.

"He has been in talks during the summer, but nothing has developed from those talks.”

Bruce junior, whose current terms are up in June next year, said earlier in the week that he was keen to commit to a new deal with the Blues: "If the manager puts a new contract on the table then I will sign it like a shot.

"It is up to him, and it is up to me to impress him. I know my agent has had a couple of chats with the manager and we will see how things go and I have no problems at all in tying my future to this great club.”

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