Sporting Digest: Football

A Football Association National League Systems Appeal panel has ruled that the former Football League club Barrow will play in the Unibond League Premier Division next season. The financially-stricken Cumbrian side were expelled from the Nationwide Conference at the end of last season, and were threatened with having to rebuild in the Second Division of the North Western Trains League.

Aberdeen are in talks to sign Sheffield United's goalkeeper Alan Kelly.

The former England and Luton Town midfielder, Ricky Hill, has joined Tottenham Hotspur as their new Under-17 coach. He replaces the former Blackpool player Peter Suddaby, who has been named as the new director of Spurs' youth academy. Suddaby succeeds Colin Murphy, the former Lincoln City manager, who has left to take up a new post in Burma.

Allan Nielsen scored a first-minute goal as Tottenham started their Scandinavian tour with a 1-1 draw at the Swedish side, Elfsborg.

Manchester United have announced that Peter Draper is joining the club as group marketing director. Draper was previously director of retail marketing at the sportswear manufacturer, Umbro.

Fulham will play the Israeli national side in a pre-season friendly at Craven Cottage on Tuesday 3 August.

Charlton Athletic have taken the 30-year-old Greek international winger Dimitris Kapetanopoulos on trial from PAOK Salonika.

Claudio Ranieri, formerly in charge of Valencia, took over as coach of the Spanish club Atletico Madrid yesterday. He is the 23rd man to hold the post in the last 12 years.

Bebeto, the 35-year-old former Brazilian international striker, has joined the Mexican club Toros Neza.

The top Bolivian club The Strongest have sacked their entire 20-strong playing staff, after the players staged a week-long strike to demand three months' worth of back wages.