Speculation is rife that Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy could be about to swoop for a Colchester United striker.

The Black Cats boss watched the U's 2-1 defeat at Hartlepool on Monday and the local press assumed he was casting an eye over Pool's striker Adam Boyd.

However, a report in the Newcastle Journal reported it was visitors Colchester he was looking at.

While it is good news higher-level clubs are interested in the talent U's boss Phil Parkinson has assembled at Layer Road, U's fans might be worried about the loss of another forward after the sale of Wayne Andrews to Crystal Palace on Tuesday.

Andrews was replaced by Gareth Williams, but with Ben May on loan from Millwall it is obvious Parkinson is not happy with the strikers he has vying for a place up front.

McCarthy refused to highlight the name of the Colchester player he was interested in.

U's boss Parkinson admitted he wasn't aware McCarthy was in the crowd on Monday.

He told the Gazette: "I didn't know he was there. I don't know anything about his interest in any of our players."

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Published Friday, September 3, 2004

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