Football: Bolton suspend Todd for training incident

THE BOLTON defender Andy Todd has been suspended by his club and faces the prospect of further disciplinary action following a training- ground incident which left Wanderers' assistant manager Phil Brown needing medical treatment.

Todd, the 25-year-old son of the former Bolton manager Colin who resigned in September after the pounds 1.75m transfer of the Danish midfielder Per Frandsen to Blackburn, is the subject of an investigation which has been immediately launched by the First Division club. Todd's father was replaced by Brown in a caretaker manager capacity before the appointment of the former Notts County manager Sam Allardyce.

A Bolton statement read: "The alleged incident has led to Phil Brown, assistant manager, needing medical treatment. The club is investigating the full circumstances, and disciplinary action could follow. However, pending the outcome of the investigation the club has immediately suspended the player, Andy Todd, who will not take part in tomorrow's match against Sheffield United."

The former Coventry and Leicester manager Gordon Milne has joined Bobby Robson's coaching staff at Newcastle. Milne has returned from a spell in Turkey and signed a contract until the end of the season, although it is unclear exactly what role he will take.

The Newcastle chief executive Freddie Fletcher said yesterday: "Gordon has vast experience at both domestic and European levels of football and will be a welcome addition to Bobby Robson's footballing staff."

Milne represents the second addition to the management team since Robson took charge, with the former Scarborough manager Mick Wadsworth joining the staff recently.

Tommy Burns has ruled himself out of the running for the vacant manager's job at Dunfermline. The former Celtic and Reading manager was among the favourites for the post following Dick Campbell's resignation last month.

The First Division club have drawn up a short-list of six names, said to include the former Wales coach Bobby Gould.

The Chelsea chairman, Ken Bates, was in celebratory mood after Hammersmith and Fulham council granted planning permission for the renovation of the West Stand at Stamford Bridge.

After a long-running planning inquiry from the local authority, Bates received a fax confirming that Chelsea could go ahead as planned with their proposals for the renovation. A delighted Bates said: "Now we can get on with it."

The project will get under way between January and March 2000, with 4,400 seats being added to the ground's capacity, which will increase the capacity to 42,000 on completion in April 2001.

Germany's Lothar Matthaus will equal the world appearance record held by the Swedish goalkeeper Thomas Ravelli when he earns his 143rd cap in tomorrow's friendly against Norway in Oslo.