Other soccer news in brief

Keane bound for Bandon Bridge

ROY Keane will pay a visit to Bandon Bridge primary school in west Cork after they were chosen as the most creative fundraisers from 33 entries in the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind initiative in association with Specsavers.

The 32 runner-up schools all received Sunderland shirts signed by the manager with the winners, ironically, being chosen from Keane's native county. Each of the 33 shortlisted schools were selected by IGDB Regional Managers from hundreds of entries with the overall winning school decided by an independent auditor from Pricewaterhousecoopers.

Over the seven years of the Specsavers Shades fundraising and awareness campaign more than €1.4 million has been raised for Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind. This year all funds raised were used for the continuation and development of the crucial and free services provided by IGDB.

Wilkins returns to Chelsea as first team coach

RAY Wilkins renewed his 35-year relationship with Chelsea on Thursday when the Premier League leaders announced he was returning to Stamford Bridge as first team coach.

He replaces Steve Clarke who has moved to West Ham United to work under new Hammers boss and another former Chelsea favourite Gianfranco Zola.

Wilkins, who turned 52 on Sunday, joined the club as a 17-year-old trainee in 1973 and became Chelsea's youngest-ever skipper aged just 18 the following year.

It will be the third time Wilkins has been involved with Chelsea after making a total of 198 appearances for the club as a player, scoring 34 goals, between 1973 and 1979.

After also playing for Manchester United, AC Milan, Paris St Germain, Glasgow Rangers and Queens Park Rangers, as well as making 84 appearances for England, he returned to Chelsea as a coach in 1999 and was also caretaker-manager for two matches in September 2000.

Gascoigne arrested

FORMER England footballer Paul Gascoigne was yesterday arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage.

Northumbria Police would not confirm the identity of the man in custody but it is understood to be the former midfielder.

Gascoigne, who has battled alcohol addiction, was arrested at a house in the Dunston area of Gateshead yesterday morning following an incident with a freelance photographer as he tried to enter a local pub.

Aalborg appeal 'wrong' red card

AALBORG manager Bruce Rioch today confirmed his club have appealed against the red card shown to defender Michael Beauchamp in their Champions League opener at Celtic.

The Danish champions have contested the decision under the mistaken identity rule, which they had to do in the immediate aftermath of last night's goalless draw. Beauchamp was wrongly dismissed by Italian referee Matteo Simone Trefoloni after team-mate Michael Jakobsen had brought down Hoops striker Georgios Samaras, who was racing through on goal.

"That protest would have gone off to Uefa straight away. It was the wrong decision, obviously. Everybody's aware of that."

Rioch revealed poor officiating over the decision was not confined to Trefoloni, with the assistant closest to the bench also unaware Jakobsen had been the culprit.

  Fagan considers legal action

HULL forward Craig Fagan may consider taking legal action against Newcastle's Danny Guthrie over the tackle that broke his leg.

Guthrie was sent off for hacking down Fagan in a crude challenge late in Saturday's Premier League encounter at St James' Park.

Hull manager Phil Brown called for strong disciplinary action but the English Football Association confirmed the player would face only the mandatory three-match ban for the red card.

Hull chairman Paul Duffen said: "This is the sort of incident that, had it happened in the street, would have been regarded as common assault.

"I wouldn't want to prejudice any potential further action from Craig, yet what I will say is that he has the club's full support on this matter.

"We will be sitting down with him and discussing what to do, what decision or what action he might want to take.

"The timing of it for Craig and the implications, short term, for his career could be significant."

 Moyes agrees new €21m deal

EVERTON manager David Moyes has agreed a new five-year contract with the Merseyside club worth over €21 million. The 45-year-old Moyes, who joined Everton as manager in 2002, confirmed in July that he had opened talks on a new deal with chairman Bill Kenwright.

The Scot is expected to sign the deal before the derby against Liverpool at Goodison Park on September 27th. Moyes, who has 12 months left on his current deal, has also managed Preston. CHELSEAS Michael Essien has had knee surgery in France to repair a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

The midfielder suffered the injury during Ghanas World Cup qualifier against Libya on September 5th.

The 25-year-old had to wait two weeks for the swelling to go down before being operated on in Lyon.

Essien is expected to be out of action for five months and a Chelsea spokesman told BBC Sport: The operation has been a success.