Ince: Former Manchester United and England midfielder Paul Ince has been appointed player-manager of Macclesfield Town, the struggling English fourth division club announced yesterday. Macclesfield, who are bottom of the division without a win all season, said Ince had signed a 14-month contract with a six-month rolling contract to be agreed later. Ince, who turned 40 on Saturday, will not be eligible to play for the club until the transfer window reopens in January. Ince will take charge of his first game for Macclesfield at home to Mansfield on Saturday.
Chelsea: Champions Chelsea have written to the Premier League (FAPL) and FA regarding their concerns about the medical procedures following injuries to goalkeepers Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini in a match at Reading earlier this month. Chelsea issued a statement yesterday where they wanted to stress that they had not prejudged the outcome of these issues. But they believed they warranted further investigation, not just in terms of what happened at Reading, but also to prevent the same questions being raised if similar incidents occur in the future.
Porato: Chelsea are giving Frenchman Stephane Porato a trial in their search for a third goalkeeper after losing number one Petr Cech with a head injury. Porato, 33, played for relegated AC Ajaccio last season and has been without a club since June. Porato, capped once by France, had contacts in the off-season with Ligue 1 side Valenciennes and clubs in Italy and Israel.
Sturm Graz: Troubled Austrian club Sturm Graz said yesterday they had filed for insolvency but are appealing for permission to continue fulfilling their fixtures. The club, which spent heavily on players when it took part in the Champions League in 1998-99, 1999-2000 and 2000-01, said last November it had debts of 5.7 million euros and needed to plug a 2.0 million euro hole this year. Graz, who have been Austrian champions twice, in 1998 and 1999 and also won the Austrian Cup three times in the last decade, are currently sixth in the 10-team Austrian premier league.
Monaco: Monaco coach Laszlo Boloni has been relieved of his duties and replaced by his deputy Laurent Banide until further notice, the Ligue 1 strugglers' chairman Michel Pastor said yesterday. Boloni, who joined Monaco from Stade Rennes in the close season, was absent from yesterday's training session which was conducted by the 38-year-old Banide. Monaco, Champions League runners-up in 2004, made it clear they were aiming for a European berth when the season started but after 10 matches they are one from bottom in Ligue 1.
Michel: French coach Henri Michel has been sacked by Qatari club Al Arabi just four months into his latest job. The former France captain and manager had only been in charge for six league matches including two wins and three defeats. Al Arabi were also knocked out in the first round of the Gulf Cup. Michel left his job as coach of the Ivory Coast after the World Cup in Germany to take up the offer from Al Arabi.
Real F1 Venture: Real Madrid will sponsor a Formula One racing car at the Spanish Grand Prix next year, club president Ramon Calderon said. "It's a great project. The design work has been done with cars painted white and carrying the club's crest," Calderon said.
Ivanauskas: Hearts manager Valdas Ivanauskas has stepped down for two weeks to resolve health problems, the Lithuanian said on the club's Web site. Ivanauskas met owner Vladimir Romanov yesterday, sparking speculation that he would become the latest manager to be axed after the club's shock 2-0 home defeat to Kilmarnock on Saturday.
Real Madrid fan dies: A Romanian teenager supporting Real Madrid died after being hit by another student three days after the Spanish team crushed Steaua Bucharest 4-1 in last week's Champions League match. "The tragic incident occurred last Friday on the sport field of a school in Plopu," a police spokesman said. "The aggressor became furious when his opponent made malicious remarks after Steaua's disaster. Costel Dinu, 16, hit Ionut Chioreanu, 17, once in his temple, making him fall. He died minutes later."
In England: The Championship - Coventry vs Colchester 2-1.
In Italy: Serie B - Verona vs AlbinoLeffe 0-1. Serie C - Juve Stabia vs Martina 3-0.
In Scotland: Premier League - Dunfermline vs Hibernian 0-4.
MFA Division Two: Lija vs Gozo FC 2-0; Sta Venera vs Gudja 1-1.