Saints knock back move for McInnes

SPORT of the World can reveal St Johnstone rejected an approach from Watford for manager Derek McInnes.

The First Division champions slapped a £250,000 asking price on McInnes.

The SPL new boys will play similar hardball to ward off interest from West Brom if they turn to their former captain to replace Tony Mowbray.

Watford made an official approach to speak to McInnes but were scared off by Saints' six-figure compensation demand for the highly-rated 37-year-old.

The English Championship club appointed ex-Celtic defender Malky Mackay as manager last week.

McDiarmid Park chairman Geoff Brown wants to sit down with McInnes in the coming weeks to thrash out a new deal for the former Rangers midfielder.

He's under contract at Perth until next summer but Brown hopes to tie him and assistant Tony Docherty to long-term agreements.

McInnes is still highly-regarded at West Brom after making exactly 100 appearances for the club in three seasons between 2000 and 2003.

Busloads of Hawthorns fans travelled north to watch him playing for Dundee United in the 2005 Scottish Cup Final and he received a mountain of congratulatory mail from Baggies fans after leading St Johnstone to the SPL.

Paul Ince yesterday put himself in the frame to boss West Brom.

He has been looking for a way back into management after being sacked by Blackburn last December.

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