NEWCASTLE United last night offered an olive branch to Olivier Bernard and issued a "hands off'' warning to rival clubs after a Premier League tribunal blocked the Frenchman's move to West Ham.

Bernard had signed a pre-contract with the Hammers and vowed never to return to Tyneside, citing a lack of first-team opportunities as the chief reason for his disenchantment.

But the tribunal ruled that the left-back, who insisted he was a free agent, is still contracted to the Magpies for another year.

Newcastle handed Bernard a two-year deal after he won a court battle with Lyon to sign on a free transfer.

But United retained an option on the 22-year-old for a third year, a clause flouted by both the player and West Ham, who reneged on an agreement with Newcastle that they would not pursue Bernard after admitting an illegal approach last season.

The Magpies issued a statement yesterday emphasising they bore "no hard feelings" towards former Darlington loanee Bernard, and adding that he should "just report for training with the rest of the squad next week''.

However, the statement contained a blunt message for the Hammers. "It is unlikely that West Ham will receive the same treatment from Newcastle's hierarchy,'' it read, alluding to the Londoners' season opener at St. James' Park, which was yesterday confirmed as a live Sky Sports match on Monday, August 19.

Newcastle will now be even more determined to pursue a claim that Kevin Keegan's Manchester City poached on-loan Sylvain Distin when they signed him in a £4m deal at the end of last season while the Magpies still held an option to buy the French defender from Paris St. Germain.

In their statement yesterday, Newcastle stressed: "We have been angered recently by certain clubs and players' flagrant disregard of contractual commitments and the rules and regulations surrounding the status and transfer of players.

"Following an admitted approach to Olivier Bernard by West Ham earlier in the year, Newcastle withheld reporting the London club at the time, on the verbal undertaking of chief executive Paul Aldridge to United chairman Freddy Shepherd, that West Ham would not approach Bernard again in the future with a view to obtaining his services.

"West Ham were reminded again at the end of the season by chief operating officer Russell Cushing that the player was under contract to Newcastle until 2003.

"Within the last ten days, further enquiries by United led to a clear statement by Paul Aldridge during a telephone call from Russell Cushing, that West Ham had, in fact, recently agreed terms and signed the player because 'things change' and now they did want the player.

"Newcastle continued to insist that Bernard was under contract to them next season by virtue of the terms of his current contract, and this was borne out emphatically today.''

Newcastle's complaint against City is in the hands of the FA, but Maine Road chairman David Bernstein this week insisted there was no case to answer.

Meanwhile, Portugal midfielder Armando Petit is the latest name to be linked with Newcastle.

Bobby Robson last week saw off competition from Liverpool, Juventus and Celta Vigo to land Petit's World Cup colleague Hugo Viana from Sporting Lisbon for £8.5m.

But if Robson is serious about linking Boavista's Petit, 25, with his fellow countryman, the United boss will once again have to pip Juventus as well as a host of other European giants including Roma, AC Milan and Panathinaikos.

* Ipswich centre-back Titus Bramble will complete his £5m move to Newcastle early next week.

* Newcastle's home game against Leeds, who this week sacked manager David O'Leary, has been selected for pay-per-view coverage on Sky Sports on Wednesday, September 11 (8.00).

* Lee Bowyer is still set to leave Leeds United, despite David O'Leary's sacking as Elland Road manager, writes IAN PARKES.

The former England Under-21 international was placed on the transfer list after failing to agree a new contract and his accountant insists Bowyer's departure is still on the cards.

David Giess said: ''Nothing has changed. Lee is still on the transfer list.

''Lee was surprised by the news of the manager's sacking. He has always got on well with David."

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