Allardyce: 'Selling Tomkins would be suicide'

West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce is standing firm on his decision to keep hold of Sam Tomkins despite interest from the Premier League.

Reports have claimed that a £2.5m bid from Newcastle United was shunned by the Championship side this week.

"There is no intention to sell James Tomkins, as far as I am concerned," The Mirror quotes Allardyce as saying. "We would be committing suicide if we sold him at this moment."

The former Bolton Wanderers boss is in need of the central defender following the absence of Winston Reid with a long-term shoulder injury.