Football: Megson sacked by Stockport

GARY MEGSON has been sacked as the manager of Stockport County. The First Division club ended Megson's reign at a board meeting yesterday. A former Stockport player, Andy Kilner, who is the head of County's centre of excellence, has been appointed caretaker manager.

Megson's departure had been widely predicted after accusations from the club chairman, Brendan Elwood, that he had allegedly applied for other jobs while he was manager at Edgeley Park. Megson had been in charge for just under two years after he left Blackpool to succeed Dave Jones, now at Southampton, in July 1997. The Macclesfield manager, Sammy McIlroy, and the former Bradford City and Stoke manager Chris Kamara are possible successors.

Howard Kendall, the former Everton manager, is to apply to be Wales' next manager. His interest in the vacancy caused by the resignation of Bobby Gould sets up the possibility of a managerial partnership with his former captain at Goodison Park, Kevin Ratcliffe. The Chester City manager could start off as Kendall's assistant and in due course take full charge of the Welsh national team.

The administrators at Crystal Palace say they have received a pounds 20m offer for the club from a "major player in the leisure and sports management business". However, the deal is conditional upon Ron Noades, the club's former owner, selling the Selhurst Park freehold. Under the proposed deal Mark Goldberg would continue as chairman and retain a "substantial" share of his current majority shareholding.

Arsenal will accept offers for their England Under-21 international Stephen Hughes. The midfielder was put on the transfer list by the Gunners yesterday, along with Christopher Wreh, Alberto Mendez and Jason Crowe.

The Poland midfielder Dariusz Adamczuk has signed a four-year contract with Rangers after completing his free transfer move from Celtic, while Dundee United are hopeful of signing the Israeli international midfielder Jan Telasnikov from Beitar Jerusalem.

Newcastle United are expected to sign the French defender Franck Dumas from Monaco in a pounds 600,000 deal next week. Dumas, 30, will provide cover for his fellow new recruits Marcelino Elena and Alain Goma. Nikos Dabizas and Laurent Charvet are likely to leave St James' Park.

After his release by Aberdeen, Mike Newell, the 34-year-old former Everton and Blackburn Rovers striker, has joined the Nationwide Conference club Doncaster Rovers as player-coach.

Kevin Campbell is pleading with his club, Trabzonspor, to let him join Everton for pounds 3m. A two-man delegation from Turkey met Everton officials last night but could not settle on a price despite an increased offer from the Goodison club for the striker.