Colchester United chief Steve Whitton is waiting to hear from Oxford boss Ian Atkins if Sam Stockley's transfer is still on.
Hopes of a compromise deal for defender Stockley were rekindled last night and with the two clubs talking again Whitton was today hoping a swift deal could be worked out.
The U's boss said this morning: "We are ready to compromise and are now waiting for Oxford to come back to us.
"I'm still very hopeful that a move can be worked out and ideally we would like it to happen in time for Sam to play for us against Bristol City on Saturday."
The U's and Stockley thought a free transfer deal had already been agreed last Friday.
But the move was scuppered at the 11th hour when Oxford chairman Firos Kassam, who had paid £150,000 for Stockley 18 months earlier, suddenly introduced a 25-50 per cent sell-on clause.
The long-awaited return of injury-plagued U's skipper Scott Fitzgerald was put on hold again when yesterday's reserve team match at Barnet was called off because of a waterlogged pitch.
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Published Thursday November 7, 2002
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