New deal for Gradi

Dario Gradi, Crewe's long-serving manager, has agreed a new 10- year contract with the Second Division club. The latest deal will see Gradi, who has been manager at Crewe for 13 years and six months, stay at Gresty Road until the year 2007.

Gradi, the longest-serving manager in English football, said yesterday: "It's something we have been talking about since the start of the season when the board offered to re-do my contract. They made me an offer which I have immediately accepted. Myself and the board are quite happy with the deal and it should be completed this week.

"I think it's a nice ambition to have to go another 10 years and that should be enough time for me to realise my ambitions."

The second longest-serving manager in England is John Rudge at Port Vale. He has served 12 years and nine months.

Alex Totten has had his reign at Kilmarnock cut short in his third year at the Scottish Premier Division's bottom club. Totten, 50, succeeded Tommy Burns as manager at Rugby Park in August 1994, and led the Ayrshire club to seventh place in the Premier Division in his first season in charge. He had previously enjoyed success with Alloa and St Johnstone as well as being assistant to the then-manager Jock Wallace at Rangers.

The experienced striker Bobby Williamson, who has been in charge of the reserve team at Kilmarnock, has been appointed caretaker manager while the search goes on for a successor to Totten.

And there has also been a change in the boardroom with the former Kilmarnock striker Ronnie Hamilton stepping up to become chairman.