Alex swoop for Spurs' Stewart

Wolves have signed Wigan winger Nouha Dicko on loan until the end of the Championship season.

The winger joins on an emergency loan after struggling to make an impression since his return to the DW Stadium in January.

Dicko spent the first half of the season at Blackpool, scoring five goals in 22 Championship appearances.

And he joins a Wolves side fighting to avoid back-to-back relegations.

Dean Saunders' side are second-bottom heading into the Easter weekend, a point adrift of safety with eight games to play.

The 36-year-old, who has scored three goals in 36 appearances this season, moves to Hillsborough until the end of the current campaign.

Howard began his professional career with Pools in 1995 before spells with Northampton and Luton. He was then a Championship regular with the likes of Derby and Leicester.

After 146 appearances and 28 goals for the Foxes he re-joined Hartlepool in the summer of 2012.

Howard is eligible to feature on Saturday when the Owls face Barnsley at Hillsborough.

It is exactly 12 months since the Bulgarian international became of the illness, before it was announced publicly two days later on March 30.

Petrov is currently in remission and Lambert has nothing but admiration for the way his former Celtic team-mate has tackled the challenge.

He said: "I am always in contact with Stiliyan. He is doing great and I don't think anyone in this room can imagine what he has been going through, the way he has battled so strongly.

"He is doing really well and hopefully it's not too long before he comes out of that stage he's at.

"Stiliyan has been a big, big loss to us. He is doing great. I don't think anyone can comprehend what he has been going through.

I can't imagine what he has gone through at certain times.

"The way he has come through, that has been unbelievable. Lesser people, no wonder they struggle through it.

"He was a really close friend of mine at Celtic and I'm delighted he is getting there."

Villa are at home to Liverpool on Sunday with Lambert convinced striker Luis Suarez is in contention for the PFA player of the year award.

He said: "Suarez must be in the running with Robin van Persie and Gareth Bale.

"Of those three lads, one of them will win it. He's a top player, outstanding."

Villa midfielder Fabian Delph will return after a two-match suspension for incurring 10 bookings this season.

Full-back Matt Lowton is on nine bookings and will have to avoid another yellow card in the next three games to avoid his own two-match suspension.

The decision to raise the number of finalists from 16 to 24 countries means that almost half the 53 European nations will qualify for the tournament in France.

UEFA president Platini defended the decision but conceded that it will mean some "less interesting matches" with many of the qualifying groups seeing three of the six teams going through - and that is an issue for the European governing body which is now selling the TV rights centrally.

Platini told a news conference in Sofia, Bulgaria: "This was a decision of the UEFA Congress to go to 24 teams after a request made by Ireland and Scotland - vast majority of national associations wanted us to go to 24.

"I thought about it a great deal to see if the quantity would affect the quality and I think that we could have 24 very good teams in Europe more or less of the same calibre so I don't think it will change the quality.

"The only small challenge has to do with the qualifiers as there will be some less interesting matches. There will be groups of six with two or three going through so the qualifying will be less decisive but the tournament will be just as interesting."

Europe has 13 places for World Cup finals and Platini said that having almost twice as many for the European Championships was "extremely important for the general happiness of the national associations in terms of promoting football in their countries".

UEFA's executive committee today agreed the bidding rules and timetable for Euro 2020, which is being held in 13 different countries across the continent.

Cities can bid for either three group matches and a quarter-final, or the semi-finals and final. The full bid regulations will be published on April 26, bids submitted by September 11, bid dossiers submitted by April 25 next year and a decision the following September.

The FA has said it will bid for Wembley to host the semi-finals and final, while Cardiff, Glasgow and Dublin are all set to bid for group matches.

The candidates for UEFA's executive committee were also confirmed and Manchester United's outgoing chief executive David Gill will be one of nine candidates for eight seats. Six of these are standing for re-election with the new candidates being Gill, Germany's Wolfgang Niersbach and Portugal's Fernando Gomes.

UEFA also announced agreements with the European game's stakeholders on tackling racism and match-fixing.

The Professional Football Strategy Council, (PFSC) an umbrella group comprising UEFA associations, European leagues, clubs and players' representatives, unanimously agreed to call for stricter sanctions. Clubs and associations whose fans or players are found guilty of racist behaviour will also have to prove what actions they are taking to tackle such discrimination in the future. On match-fixing, Platini vowed there would be "no mercy" for those found guilty.

He said: "If it is a player involved they will never play football again. We will have no mercy on those that breach these rules whether players, referees or football leaders - we are defending our game here. Our policy is zero tolerance and we will not budge."

Fowler, who made 23 appearances for the Brewers during the 2006/07 campaign, will be available for Albion's League Two fixture against Chesterfield at the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday.

The 29-year-old Welshman will also be eligible should Burton's season be extended via the play-offs.

Fowler joined Doncaster in January and made four appearances, including one start, before he was sent out on loan to Blue Square Bet Premier side Forest Green.

He has made over 200 appearances after beginning his career at Coventry in 1999.

Having spent time pre-season training with the Daggers last summer, the 29-year-old joined the Imps and has played a part in their battle for Blue Square Bet Premier survival this term.

The Daggers have now moved to bring him to Victoria Road on a deal until the end of the season.

Interim manager Wayne Burnett told the club's official website: "Peter is a very experienced player who can play in a number of positions. He is a very hard-working and determined player and will provide us with cover during the remaining games of the season."

He follows the arrival of former Charlton defender Jonathan Fortune, a free agent, on a short-term deal until the end of the season and goalkeeper Jonathan Miles on loan from Tottenham.

Clarke has told the Nigerian international to "say it to my face" if he has got any grievances against him or the club.

Odemwingie complained on Twitter about being out of the starting line-up after the goalless draw at Stoke, hinted team-mates were talking about him behind his back and conceded "his wish" was to be sacked.

It followed on from his previous social networking attacks during January when his transfer request was rejected and he failed to secure a deadline day move to QPR.

Clarke admits he is fed up of talking about the 31-year-old when facing the media today ahead of Saturday's visit to West Ham.

He said: "I haven't made very much of it. I don't read Twitter. I understand there were some more comments on Twitter.

"I told Richard Garlick (sporting and technical director) and the club to deal with it in the manner they see fit.

"I think if he (Odemwingie) has got something to say to me, he should come and say it to my face.

"I haven't got anything to say to him. If he's got anything to say to me, he should come and say it to my face. He is the one who has the grievance, not me.

"But I'm not interested in what he said. The club will deal with that side of it.

"Are the club taking extra action? I don't know because Richard has been off ill. He hasn't been in."

When asked about the behaviour of one of his leading players, Clarke said: "Sorry, he's what? He is one of my players. That's it, he is one of my players."

Albion are lying eighth in the Barclays Premier League and still have an outside chance of qualifying for Europe.

But Clarke said: "I'm just disappointed I have to spend so much time talking about one player (Odemwingie) when I've got a squad of players who have made a fantastic contribution this season.

"I'm fed up talking about Odemwingie. You've asked about it, I've answered it, let's move on. I'm not answering any more questions on Peter."

Clarke confirmed Odemwingie was in the squad to face West Ham on Saturday.

The 19-year-old goes straight into Steve Davis' squad for the trip to Bury in League One on Good Friday and provides cover in both full-back positions, making him a welcome addition in light of Gregor Robertson's Achilles injury.

Stewart is yet to make his senior debut for Spurs but was twice named in the matchday squad for the Europa League matches against PAOK and Panathinaikos over the past two seasons.

He is eligible to feature in next weekend's Johnstone's Paint Trophy final against Southend at Wembley.