Rotherham: Rotherham United were teetering on the brink of the English Championship relegation zone yesterday after being docked three points and fined for fielding an ineligible player against fellow stragglers Brighton. The deduction left Rotherham 21st in the 24-team table on 41 points, with the bottom three clubs set to be relegated at the end of the season. Rotherham are one point above Millwall and two clear of Wigan.
Roar: Brisbane Roar snapped a two-game losing streak in the A-League with a 2-1 win over the Newcastle Jets yesterday. After an uneventful first half, the game sprung to life in the 71st minute as substitute Kofi Danning fired the Roar ahead only for Edson Montano to equalise six minutes later. Lachlan Jackson then grabbed the winner four minutes from time to leave the Jets at the foot of the table.
Johnson: Sunderland manager Dick Advocaat has confirmed that winger Adam Johnson will be available for selection for the Premier League game against Stoke today. Johnson, 27, was this week charged with three offences of sexual activity with a child under 16 and one of grooming. Advocaat said: “He still has to come in, but in principle if he feels okay, then he will be a member of the squad.”
Lloris: Hugo Lloris’s knee injury will be assessed ahead of Tottenham’s trip to Southampton today. The France goalkeeper has been out for three matches since sustaining the injury against Leicester but could return for Mauricio Pochettino’s first game back at former club Saints.
FA charge: Karl Oyston has denied an English FA charge of misconduct which was brought against the Blackpool chairman following a text message exchange in which he called a supporter “a retard”. The 47-year-old was charged by the FA at the end of March for comments he made to supporter Stephen Smith which allegedly constituted five breaches of its rules. The FA has now confirmed that Oyston, who also told Smith to “enjoy the rest of your special needs day out”, has challenged the charge.
Fined: CSKA Sofia have been fined 37,500 levs ($20,829) after fans displayed a banner showing a swastika during this week’s 1-0 home league defeat by city rivals Lokomotiv. Lokomotiv winger Tony Silva also said that he was the victim of racial abuse from CSKA fans in Monday’s game. “I respect the fans but they don’t respect me,” he told reporters.
Scottish Premier: Hamilton vs Motherwell 2-0.