Kirkland signs new deal

Hearts to replace Frail 

Manchester United beat Chelsea to win the Champions League 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw over 90 minutes. Cristiano Ronaldo gave United the lead on 26 minutes but Frank Lampard equalised on the stroke of half-time.  In extra-time, Didier Drogba was red carded on 116 minutes for a petulant slap on Nemanja Vidic. Ronaldo missed his penalty for United, but John Terry hit the post and Edwin van der Sar saved the decisive penalty from Nicolas Anelka.

Wigan Athletic goalkeeper Chris Kirkland has signed a new four-year contract with the club.  

Heart of Midlothian interim manager Stevie Frail will be replaced by a new boss for next season.

Nathan Davies

Burns remembered

Coppell to stay with Reading

QPR appoint Flowers

Lambert resigns 

Newcastle United’s Joey Barton has been jailed for six months for assault and affray. The 25-year-old was captured on CCTV in Liverpool on December 27 2007 punching one man 20 times before an attack, which left a teenage boy with broken teeth. Barton admitted the charges last month but reporting restrictions were only lifted today.

Thousands of mourners turned out to pay their last respects at the funeral of Celtic legend Tommy Burns, who had skin cancer and died at home on Thursday aged 51. Hundreds of fans lined the streets outside St Mary’s Church in Glasgow, wearing Celtic colours. About 3,000 gathered at Celtic Park, where the service was being broadcast. Former Celtic teammates Danny McGrain, Peter Grant, Pat Bonnar and George McCluskey were pallbearers along with Rangers boss Walter Smith and his assistant Ally McCoist who Burns worked with in the Scotland set-up. Attending the funeral were Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond, Everton manager David Moyes and former Celtic manager Martin O’Neill, who is now in charge of Aston Villa. Former Rangers manager Alex McLeish also attended, as well as current Celtic manager Gordon Strachan.

Reading have confirmed that manager Steve Coppell will remain at the club next season.

Queens Park Rangers have appointed Tim Flowers as their new assistant manager.

Paul Lambert has resigned as Wycombe Wanderers manager.

Nathan Davies

Rovers release Enckleman

Carsley joins Birmingham

FA Cup medals stolen

Gretna lay off remaining staff

The race for the Scottish Premier League title will go to the last game of the season after Rangers beat St Mirren 0-3 at St Mirren Park to draw level on points with Celtic. Gordon Strachan’s men do have a slightly superior goal difference of four. Thursday’s final round of SPL games see Rangers take on Aberdeen at Pittodrie while Celtic face Dundee United at Tannadice.

Blackburn Rovers have released goalkeeper Peter Enckelman. The Finn has been on loan at Cardiff City and made the mistake that cost the Bluebirds dearly in Saturday’s FA Cup final defeat by Portsmouth.

Lee Carsley has left Everton and signed a two-year deal with relegated Birmingham City in order to move closer to his family in the Midlands. The 34-year-old has yet to undergo a medical.

Portsmouth defender Glen Johnson and goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown have had their FA Cup winners medals stolen from the team hotel during the weekend. Johnson’s went missing from his wash bag while Ashdown’s was in his jacket which was taken from the hotel.

Administrators for Gretna have laid off their remaining 40 staff but claim to be negotiating with an interested buyer of the club.

Nathan Davies

Inter win Serie A

France squad announced 

Exeter City beat Cambridge United 1-0 in the Blue Square Premier play-off final to return to the Football League after a five-year absence. Rob Edwards scored the decisive goal on 22 minutes.

Inter Milan sealed a third consecutive Serie A title with a 2-0 win over relegated Parma. Inter finished three points ahead of second-placed AS Roma who could only draw 1-1 at Catania. Juventus and Fiorentina finished third and fourth and will play in the Champions League next term while AC Milan, Sampdoria and Udinese will feature in the UEFA Cup. Empoli, Livorno and Parma were relegated.

France coach Raymond Domenech has named a provisional 30-man squad for Euro 2008 with both David Trezeguet and Gael Clichy missing out. There are six Premier League players in the squad including Chelsea stars Claude Makelele, Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka, Manchester United full-back Patrice Evra, Arsenal’s captain William Gallas and Portsmouth midfielder Lassana Diarra. Saint-Etienne striker Bafetimbi Gomis has been called up for the first time. 

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Play-off round-up

SPL review

Republic call up Westwood

Bolton release trio

Carrick signs new deal

Kanu capitalised on a blunder by Cardiff City goalkeeper Peter Enkelman on 37 minutes as Portsmouth beat the Bluebirds 1-0 at Wembley to win the FA Cup for the first time since 1939.

Rochdale beat Darlington 5-4 on penalties at Spotland to reach the League Two play-off final.  The contest was decided on spot-kicks after the home side won the second leg of their play-off semi-final 2-1 after ninety minutes to tie the aggregate score 3-3. Rochdale’s David Perkins, who had earlier scored to send the game into extra time, was sent off for dissent but Dale won the tie when Jason Kennedy’s penalty was saved by goalkeeper Tommy Lee.

Stockport County will face Rochdale in the Wembley final on May 26 after beating Wycombe Wanderers 1-0 at Edgeley Park to win 3-1 on aggregate. Liam Dickinson scored the only goal of the game on seven minutes.

In the Scottish Premier League, Rangers lost their advantage in the chase for the title after being held to a 1-1 draw by Motherwell at Fir Park.  Christian Dailly put the visitors ahead on 29 minutes but Chris Porter levelled for Well after 50 minutes. Walter Smith’s men are now three points behind leaders Celtic with a game in hand. Their goal difference is also inferior to Celtic’s by seven. Elsewhere, Kilmarnock beat Falkirk 2-1 at Rugby Park while 10-man Inverness Caledonian Thistle held St Mirren to a goalless draw at Caledonian Stadium. Inverness defender David Proctor saw red for a foul on Craig Dargo.

Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni has called up uncapped Carlisle goalkeeper Keiren Westwood to his training camp in Portugal after Colin Doyle’s withdrawal because of injury.

Bolton Wanderers have released Ivan Campo, Stelios Giannakopoulos and Andranik Teymourian.

Michael Carrick has signed a new four-year contract with Manchester United.

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Liverpool appoint Lee

City qualify for UEFA Cup

Reading reshuffle

James Coppinger netted a hat-trick as Doncaster Rovers thrashed Southend United 5-1 at the Keepmoat Stadium in the second leg of their League One play-off semi-final. Rovers progress to a Wembley final against Yorkshire rivals Leeds United 5-1 on aggregate.

Sammy Lee has returned to Liverpool as assistant manager to Rafael Benitez. 

Manchester City will play in the UEFA Cup next term after topping the Premier League’s fair play table. The extra place was made available after the Premier League came top of Uefa’s fair play rankings. City finished sixth in the Premier League fair play table, but all the sides above them had already qualified for Europe. They will join the Uefa Cup at the first qualifying round stage in July.

Reading have offered new contracts to Glen Little, Michael Duberry, Ben Hamer and Scott Davies but released John Oster, Ulises De La Cruz, John Halls, Graham Stack, Adam Bygrave and Aaron Brown.

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England beat Wales

Celtic legend dies

Toshack names squad

Villa release duo

Ferdinand signs new deal 

Jonathan Howson scored twice as Leeds United beat Carlisle United 0-2 at Brunton Park in the second leg of their League One play-off semi-final. Leeds progress to the Wembley final 2-3 on aggregate and will face either Doncaster Rovers or Southend United on May 25. Howson struck after 10 minutes and grabbed the decisive second on 90 minutes with extra-time looming.  

England Under-21’s beat their Welsh counterparts 0-2 at Wrexham’s Racecourse Ground.  First-half goals from Tom Huddlestone (19 pen) and Theo Walcott (25) were enough for England.

Celtic legend Tommy Burns has died at the age of 51 after losing his long-term fight against skin cancer.

John Toshack has named a 35-man Wales squad for the friendlies in Iceland on May 28 and Holland on June 1. There are seven uncapped players in the squad including Darcy Blake, Joe Jacobson, Jack Collison, Aaron Ramsey, Brian Stock, Ched Evans and Sam Vokes. Strikers Paul Parry and Craig Bellamy return but there is no place for Derby County’s Rob Earnshaw.

Thomas Sorensen and Patrik Berger have both been released by Aston Villa.

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has signed a new five-year contract at Old Trafford. Wes Brown has also inked a deal that was first agreed in April.

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Hull reach play-off final 

QPR appoint Dowie

FA drop charges

Larsson in Sweden squad 

Zenit St Petersburg beat Rangers 2-0 in the UEFA Cup final at the City of Manchester Stadium. Denisov (72) and Konstatin Zyryanov (90) secured Zenit’s first European trophy.

Hull City will face Bristol City in the Championship play-off final at Wembley on May 24. The Tigers beat Watford 4-1 at the KC Stadium in the second leg of their play-off semi-final to progress 6-1 on aggregate.

Queen Park Rangers have appointed Iain Dowie as their new first-team coach. The 43-year-old has signed a two-year contract.

The Football Association has dropped one of two charges it brought against six players’ agents in connection to alleged breaches of rules at Luton Town. The charge dropped against Sky Andrew, Stephen Denos, Mike Berry, Mark Curtis, David Manasseh and Andrew Mills is the allegation the licensed agents failed to ensure that payments to them were “made and disclosed through the proper channels”. All six agents denied the charge. Luton still face 17 charges.

Henrik Larsson has been included in  the Sweden squad for Euro 2008.  Larsson previously retired from the national team in 2002 and then in 2006.

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Trapattoni announces squad

Trio to leave Boro

Berwick appoint McGonigal

Bristol City beat Crystal Palace 2-1 after extra-time at Ashton Gate in the second leg of their Championship play-off semi-final to progress 4-2 on aggregate. Extra-time goals from Lee Trundle and Michael McIndoe helped City progress to a Wembley final against either Hull City or Watford.

In the Scottish Premier League, Gretna beat 10-man Heart of Midlothian 1-0 at Fir Park thanks to an injury-time goal from Gavin Skelton. Gary Glen saw red for Hearts on 26 minutes. 

Giovanni Trapattoni has named his Republic of Ireland squad for the friendlies against Serbia in Dublin on May 24 and Colombia at Craven Cottage on May 27. The squad includes seven uncapped players - Owen Garvan, Wes Hoolahan, Sean Scannell, Kevin Foley, Darren O’Dea, Damien Delaney and Glenn Whelan - while West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Dean Kiely is also included after a five-year absence.

Middlesbrough have decided not to offer new deals to midfielders Fabio Rochemback and Gaizka Mendieta while striker Dong-Gook Lee will also leave.

Berwick Rangers have appointed Alan McGonigal as their new manager.

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LMA awards 

Chelsea sign Bosingwa

O’Hara signs extension

McCurry admits mistakes

Carlisle United beat Leeds United 1-2 at Elland Road in the first leg of their League One play-off semi-final. Danny Graham (31) and Marc Bridge-Wilkinson (49) put the Cumbrians firmly in control before Dougie Freedman gave Leeds hope for the second leg with a 90th minute effort.   

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has won the League Managers’ Association manager of the year award. West Bromwich Albion’s Tony Mowbray took the Championship manager of the year award, Swansea City boss Roberto Martinez won the League One honour and Hereford United’s Graham Turner lifted the League Two award.

Chelsea have completed the signing of 25-year-old right-back Jose Bosingwa on a three-year contract for £16.2m from Porto. The Portugal international will join his new team-mates up after Euro 2008.

Tottenham Hotspur’s 21-year-old midfielder Jamie O’Hara has signed a three-year contract extension with the club.

Referee Mike McCurry has admitted that he was wrong not to award a penalty and to disallow a goal for Dundee United in their 3-1 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox yesterday. The Tangerines are to complain to Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith about McCurry’s handling of the match.

Nathan Davies