Shaun Derry claims that he has finally killed the rumour that he was the Leeds United mole'.

Rumours circulated that it was Derry who had revealed the name of the Leeds' line-up to then Crystal Palace manager Peter Taylor the day before the teams met at Elland Road last season.

Leeds boss Dennis Wise angrily revealed the leak but would never name the culprit and Derry was upset that it was his name that appeared in reports and on web-sites based on the fact that he had once played for Palace.

The rumours started again when Derry went on loan to Palace earlier this season, a move he has now made permanent in a £250,000 deal after refusing a request from Wise to go back and help Leeds out.

Derry said: "I was disappointed with accusations that I was the mole. It was in the papers and there were question marks and fingers were pointed at me.

"But it was finally put to rest when Dennis Wise asked me to go back because he had said that the mole would never pull on a Leeds shirt again."

Bitterness grew between Derry and Wise over his refusal to return and the midfielder made a point of praising his new boss, Neil Warnock.

"I've signed as much for Neil Warnock as for Crystal Palace," he said. "He put his faith in me and two months down the line we are in the play-off positions. He's been top drawer."

Meanwhile, Wise has added a new striker to his squad, signing 25-year-old Enoch Showunmi from Bristol City.

The twice-capped Nigerian international only turned professional when he was 21 and has already experienced three promotions with Luton and Bristol City, for whom he has scored 13 goals in 44 appearances.

He could make his debut against former club Luton on Saturday.