Football: Fulham look for leg up from Branfoot

Fulham have appointed Ian Branfoot to guide their attempt to bounce straight back from relegation to the Third Division. The Fulham board said yesterday they had 'given careful consideration to numerous possibilities' before deciding to appoint the former Southampton manager to succeed Don Mackay. Branfoot's arrival at Craven Cottage is unlikely to have the impact that Bryan Robson's appointment as player-manager has had on Middlesbrough. The First Division club is confident of reaching a target of 10,000 season ticket sales following Robson's arrival last month. 'Interest is at an unprecedented level,' Keith Lamb, the club's chief executive, said.