TRAGIC END: The director of Hungarian second division side REAC, which has been mired in a match-fixing scandal, has committed suicide. Police said Robert Kutasi, 47, threw himself from the window of a building in Budapest. Rakospalotai EAC, REAC for short, made headlines following the arrests this week of six of their players in connection with a match-fixing affair between 2007 and 2009.
EMBARGO: Birmingham indicated yesterday the Football League have placed them under a transfer embargo for failing to submit their club accounts on time, the second tier outfit missing a March 1 deadline. The embargo means the club cannot make any signings until further notice. Coventry earlier likewise had an embargo imposed on them.
GOLD COAST: Billionaire miner Clive Palmer failed in his bid to maintain control of Australian A-League club Gold Coast United after his Supreme Court injunction application was refused yesterday. Football Federation Australia, who this week terminated Palmer’s licence for contravening regu-lations, will now take over the operation of the last-placed club for the remaining four rounds of the season.
JELAVIC: Everton striker Nikica Jelavic could be set for a return to the squad for tomorrow’s trip to QPR. The Croatian has missed the last two matches with a groin problem but he played 45 minutes in an international friendly against Sweden in midweek.
FINED: Newcastle forward Nile Ranger and Walsall’s Manny Smith have been fined £6,000 and £1,200 respectively after admitting making homophobic comments on Twitter. The pair were charged along with QPR striker Federico Macheda. All three were accused of acting in a way which was “improper and/or brought the game into disrepute”.
WEDNESDAY: League One promotion hopefuls Sheffield Wednesday said yesterday they have appointed former Cardiff boss Dave Jones as their new manager, having sacked Gary Megson in midweek.
IN ENGLAND: Championship - Blackpool vs Hull 1-1.