Sporting Digest: Football

BILLY STARK, Kilmarnock's assistant manager, has followed Tommy Burns, who quit the Ayrshire club this week to take over as manager of Celtic, to Parkhead - prompting a second complaint to the Scottish Football Association of alleging poaching.

ALEX McLEISH, the veteran Aberdeen and Scotland stopper, has been confirmed as the new Motherwell manager. His No 2 will be his former Pittodrie colleague, Andy Watson, who arrives from a coaching post at Hibernian.

GROUND redevelopment has forced West Bromwich Albion to switch their Endsleigh League match against Sheffield United from 20 August to 18 October, and their games against Swindon have been reversed. The home fixture scheduled for 31 August will take place on 18 March. Their Coca- Cola Cup tie against Hereford moves from 24 August to 7 September.

SWINDON TOWN's return to the First Division against Port Vale has been switched to Sunday 14 August for screening by Central TV. Central will also show Notts County v Wolves on 21 August and Wolves v West Bromwich on 28 August.

MARSEILLE have signed the experienced Belgian defender, Michel de Wolf, from Anderlecht; and are keen to complete the signing the Republic of Ireland striker, Tony Cascarino, on a free transfer from Chelsea.

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY must pay Coventry pounds 800,000 for Peter Atherton, a tribunal ruled yesterday. Coventry had valued the former England Under-21 defender at pounds 1.5m.

THE Middlesbrough full-back, Richard Liburd, is rejoining his former manager, Lennie Lawrence, at Bradford City for pounds 200,000, pending a medical.

TRANSFERS: Steve Foley (midfielder), Stoke to Lincoln (free); Nicky Cross (striker) Port Vale to Hereford (free); John Dreyer (defender) Luton to Stoke (free); Phil Brown (defender) Bolton to Blackpool (free); Rob Savage (striker) Manchester United to Crewe (free); Colin Hoyle (defender) Bradford City to Notts County (free).