Rodman aiming for NBA return after British stint
(AFP)
Updated: 2006-02-16 08:57

"People should be talking about what a great addition Dennis Rodman has been to the British League but instead we're having a row about work permits.

"I told them (the BBL) these were special circumstances and nobody listened," he added after Rodman scored four points and claimed nine rebounds against London.

Nurse was confident Alleyne would be granted non-permit status last month but British government officials failed to issue the Barbadian with the necessary paperwork in time to allow him to play alongside Rodman this week.

And Brighton, facing internal unrest and external scrutiny as their star player heads for home, must now determine whether the decision to offer Rodman a deal in excess of 50,000 pounds for three games was the right move.

A sell-out crowd of 2,500 saw the homecourt Bears beaten 85-75 by league leaders Newcastle on Tuesday with tickets ranging in price from 15 to 40 pounds.

Hundreds of match programmes retailing at five pounds each were sold and additional merchandise sales were expected to have raised a four-figure sum.

And there was little doubt 'Rodmania', as it was termed, made one of the more modest clubs in the BBL a small fortune as well as raising Brighton's profile both nationally and internationally.