We just want to play rugby and not get involved in the politics

"We just want to play rugby and not get involved in the politics. When Ellery was suspended we just went out there to concentrate on the game."The question of how well the whole thing will hang together gets an early and searching test; Hanley has just three days to prepare Saints for their match at Leeds on Friday night.Florimo for Italy, page 25. Particularly angry words have been exchanged between Hanley and the club's football executive, Eric Hughes, and it is hard to see how the two of them can work harmoniously again.On the other hand, the support that spectators and players showed for Hanley during and after Sunday's match against Hull demonstrated that sacking him would not have been an easy option either.The club captain, Chris, Joynt, welcomed the reinstatement of Hanley "It's business as usual from tomorrow," he said. "We wish to put the last couple of weeks behind us for the purpose of taking the club forward to its rightful place at the top of the Super League."Whether that will be possible remains to be seen. The chairman of the board, Howard Morris, agreed that a working relationship will be possible."The club is delighted that after lengthy discussions with Ellery Hanley, agreement has been reached to the satisfaction of all parties for his return to work," said Morris. I apologise to the board for any offence caused."Hanley said that he was confident of his ability to work again with the directors, despite his various descriptions of them as "rude and ignorant", "disgraceful" and "dinosaurs".

Hanley, who had been suspended on full pay for nine days following his outspoken criticism of the Saints board, has apologised to them and will now be allowed to carry on with the job he began at the start of the season. "I regret my involvement in the events of the last couple of weeks and my comments suggesting that the board is in any way old-fashioned or unprofessional," Hanley said in a prepared statement."I share the board's view that matters that were publicly raised should have been more properly raised internally. Andy has sent a private message to Simon together with his best wishes for a speedy recovery."New bid for Palace, page 27. ELLERY HANLEY will be back at work as coach of St Helens today following the thrashing out of a good old-fashioned British compromise in a full day of legal negotiations yesterday. A statement from United said: "Andy Cole and Manchester United are extremely upset by comments in the media following our match in Sydney on Sunday, in which Andy was involved in an accidental collision with Simon Colosimo. The Manchester United striker has sent a private message to Colosimo after he was accused of jeopardising the defender's career.United insist that Colosimo's injury was an accident. One agent confirmed last night: "There has always been a rider from Martin Edwards in negotiations that the players will be on comparable money until the year 2002. We all accept it although everyone is watching the Keane case with interest."Keane is running out of time to accept United's contract which clearly is unlikely to increase and come near his demands.Meanwhile, Andy Cole has said regrets his tackle on Simon Colosimo and has wished the Australian a swift recovery.

The spiral effect of that would be rises of around pounds 600,000 a year for every player, spread throughout the first team squad costing the club a further pounds 10m a season in wages. This has been a practice agreed in a dozen or so cases recently. The pay scale is in operation until 2002 when it will be reviewed, a strategy that suits United who have tied up most of their players on deals up to that date. And it is why Keane's "final offer" from United is in the pounds 28,000 a week range and is as much as Edwards can pay one of the club's existing players without causing major problems.Keane is looking for around pounds 40,000 a week which would break the agreement between Edwards and the agents, sparking a pay revolution. A secret pact with the agents of the club's other big names could drive the United captain out of Old Trafford. Edwards has an agreement with the agents who negotiated the contracts of the other United players to keep them on "comparable terms" until 2002.Some will be on pounds 25,000 a week, mainly the new arrivals, while most are on pounds 20,000 a week.

Edwards has turned down recent approaches, including one from a betting syndicate.Meanwhile, Edwards is still negotiating a new contract with the Roy Keane. Louis has long been in the market for a stake in a top English club and has the funds for a major share of United. The football speculator Joe Louis and other major players will be alerted by the news. "There is also an argument that says there is nothing wrong in having a stake but that maybe 14 percent is too high."I know that a lot of people will say this is Edwards cashing in again but I will do what I believe is best for me and what is best for the football club."Edwards was in line for an pounds 80m windfall last season when BSkyB bid for the club and he would be well rewarded by prospective buyers now. Sir Roland does not have any United shares and the position is considered impartial. "If I were to become chairman of the plc then it would be sensible for my holding to be reduced," Edwards said. MARTIN EDWARDS, Manchester United's chief executive, admitted yesterday that he would consider selling his shares in the club to help him become the next plc chairman.

Edwards has aspirations to succeed Sir Roland Smith next year and is prepared to sell some, if not all, of his 14 per cent of the world's richest club. Selected: 23 P Tonkov (Rus) Mapei +11:16; 82 M Boogerd (Neth) Rabobank +36:48; 114 C Boardman (GB) st.Overall standings: 1 Armstrong 72hr 45min 27sec; 2 Escartin +6min 19sec; 3. Zulle +7:26; 4 Dufaux +8:36; 5 Virenque +9:46; 6 Nardello+11:33; 7 Casero +11:40; 8 Olano +12:35; 9 Belli +15:16; 10 Van de Wouwer +16:41; 11 Peron +18:23; 12 Tonkov +19:24; 13 Etxebarria +20:10; 14 B Salmon (Fr) Casino +21:01; 15 Beltran +21:22; 16 Meier +21:43; 17 C Moreau (Fr) Festina +21:59; 18 S Heulot (Fr) La Francaise de Jeux +22:21; 19 Hamilton +23:30; 20 P Lanfranchi (It) Mapei +24:09. Selected: 59 Boogerd +01:21:13; 130 Boardman +2.18:18.Mountains standings: 1 Virenque 237pts; 2 M Piccoli (It) Lampre 168; 3 Armstrong 159; 4 Escartin 150; 5 A Elli (It) Telekom 130.Points standings: 1 E Zabel (Ger) Telekom 240; 2 S O'Grady (Aus) Credit Agricole 230; 3 C Capelle (Fr) Big Mat 158; 4 F Simon (Fr) Credit Agricole 140; 5 G Hincapie (US) US Postal 139.Team standings: 1 Banesto 218.37:07; 2 ONCE +6:27; 3 Festina +11:04; 4 Mapei +11:18; 5 Kelme +13:44.. When the Tour reached Duboc's home town of Rouen, an angry crowd gathered and the organisers, fearing that Garrigou might be lynched, disguised the race leader, and with an escort of three cars he was able to pass through the town.If Armstrong can protect his lead today, there will be no disguising the strength of his claim to victory in Paris.TOUR DE FRANCE RESULTS15TH STAGE (173km St Gaudens to Piau-Engaly): 1 F Escartin (Sp) Kelme 5hr 19min 49sec; 2 A Zulle (Swit) Banesto at 2min 1second; 3 R Virenque (Fr) Polti, same time; 4 L Armstrong (US) US Postal +2:10; 5 K van de Wouwer (Bel) Lotto +2:37; 6 A Casero (Sp) Vitalicio Seguros, st; 7 D Nardello (It) Mapei +2:45; 8 L Dufaux (Swit) Saeco, st; 9 F Garcia (Sp) Vitalicio Seguros +3:39; 10 W Belli (It) Festina +4:00; 11 M Beltran (Sp) Banesto +5:03; 12 A Elli (It) Telekom +6:07; 13 R Meier (Swit) Cofidis +6:26; 14 T Hamilton (US) US Postal; 15 M Lelli (It) Cofidis, both st; 16 F Mancebo (Sp) Banesto +6:40; 17 D Etxebarria (Sp) ONCE +7:01; 18 A Olano (Sp) ONCE; 19 A Peron (It) ONCE, both st; 20 A Galdeano (Sp) Vitalicio Seguros +8:09. On the descent of the Tourmalet he suffered severe stomach cramp, and lay at the side of the road for an hour before he could continue.