SPORTING DIGEST: FOOTBALL

Third Division Shrewsbury Town have announced plans for a new pounds 8.5m stadium on the outskirts of the town. The existing Gay Meadow ground, which has been the club's home for the best part of a century, will make way for a new supermarket and car parks. The 10,000-seat stadium will be known as the New Meadow. Roland Wycherley, the Shrewsbury chairman, said: "The club has no choice. More than pounds 3.5m is needed to make Gay Meadow satisfy the recommendations of the Taylor Report."

Southampton are to play Lierse, the Belgian First Division club, in a pre-season friendly at The Dell on 28 July. Other friendlies are at Aldershot on 13 July and against Reading at the Madejski Stadium on 31 July.

Howard Stanton, the Rangers director, has resigned because of personal commitments, according to the club magazine.

Luis Fernandez, the Athletic Bilbao coach, has been handed a six-match ban for pushing the fourth official and insulting the referee during his side's 3-1 defeat by Barcelona on Saturday. Fernandez, who has denied both charges, will appeal against the sanction.

Lens have signed the French midfielder Jocelyn Blanchard from Juventus for a reported pounds 4.25m.

Five Premiership players appear in Denmark's 18-man squad for their Euro 2000 Group One qualifier with Wales at Anfield next Wednesday. The match will be the last in which Peter Schmeichel will be registered as a Manchester United player, having confirmed his decision to leave Old Trafford last week. Schmeichel will have Sunderland's Thomas Sorensen as his goalkeeping deputy, while midfielders Bjarne Goldbaek of Chelsea, Per Frandsen of Bolton and Spurs' Allan Nielsen are also in the squad.