Sporting Digest: Football

Roger Alwen, the Charlton chairman, has stepped down after six years in the job. His fellow director, Martin Simons, takes over as chairman, with Richard Murray becoming vice-chairman and managing director of the club.

Gary Rowett, the 20-year-old Everton utility player, is to join Second Division Blackpool on a month's loan. Rowett, who signed for the Goodison Park club from Cambridge United for a six-figure fee a year ago, has only played in Everton's first team twice this season.

The Leicester youth team coaches, Tony McAndrew and Kevin MacDonald, have added to Mark McGhee's problems at the Premiership's bottom club by resigning just five weeks after his appointment as manager.

Coventry have signed the Eintracht Frankfurt central defender, Jochen Kientz, on two weeks' loan from the German club with a view to a permanent signing