BALE "ACCEPTED BY RONALDO" IN MADRIDDRESSING ROOM

The Portuguese forward is getting
along with the £86m summer signing,
while Manchester City's Etihad Stadium
is set to be expanded and there is a
12-month safety net at Fulham

Gareth Bale is starting to settle in at Real Madrid
following an injury-interrupted start to his career
in Spain.

The Sweeper understands that key to the
Welshman's growing comfort in the Madrid
dressing room is his burgeoning friendship with
star player Cristiano Ronaldo.

According to a source close to Bale, he is "getting
on well" with the influential Portugese, who "has
accepted him as part of the group".
Privately, the two main concerns of the Bale camp
following his world-record £86 millon summer
move were his fitness following a severely
curtailed pre-season programme at Tottenham
and the prospect of being an outcast in a
dressing room which is historically suspicious of
expensive newcomers.

Bale has been involved in 10 of Madrid's 20
matches, only six of which he started, but his
contribution of four goals and five assists is
starting to win over the demanding Madridistas.

It did not go un-noticed by observers that set-
piece expert Ronaldo allowed Bale to take a free
kick in the club's 4-2 league victory over Sevilla
last month, from which the 24-year-old scored.

Bale admitted in an interview with Madrid's official
media channel this week that he undertook a
specially devised training programme to get him
fit while still playing.

"I've just finished my pre-season," Bale explained.
"It was just a matter of time until I got to 100 per
cent. Now, everyone is seeing what I can do. The
best is yet to come. Now, I'll be able to score
more goals and help the team achieve success."

ETIHAD STADIUM SET FOR EXPANSION

Manchester City are ready to proceed with an
extension to both ends of their Etihad Stadium
after being taken aback by demand.
City recently presented two options to their
supporters, in a bid to increase the present
47,000 capacity.

They are already committed to beginning works
on a third tier on the current South Stand, which
would include an additional 6,500 seats, at the
end of this season.

But City are also prepared to replicate that
template at the other end of the stadium, at the
same time, if the demand is there.

The club have been delighted by demands from
3,600 fans who have already paid £100 up front
to join the waiting list in the last month.

FULHAM EXECUTIVES HAVE 12-MONTH
SAFETY NET

The transfer of power at Fulham has been
relatively smooth following Shahid Khan's
summer takeover from Mohamed Fayed.
The Sweeper has learned that the takeover
document stipulated that there could not be an
executive change in the boardroom for the first
12 months of Khan's ownership, which began in
July.

This provided a safety net for individuals named
in the document, believed to be chief executive
Alistair Mackintosh, club secretary Darren Preston
and finance director Sean O'Loughlin, who have
continued to run Fulham on a daily basis while
Khan is based in the United States.