Football: Shearer second in World Player of the Year award

Newcastle's Alan Shearer was beaten into second place by Barcelona's Ronaldo in World Soccer magazine's World Player of the Year award, polling 16.56 per cent of readers' votes. Milan's George Weah was third.

Sheffield Wednesday's full-back Lee Briscoe has been ruled out of the Christmas programme with a recurrence of a pelvic injury. Wednesday's central defender Jon Newsome will also miss next Wednesday's meeting with Manchester United because of injury.

Ivano Bonetti, who successfully sued the then Grimsby manager Brian Laws following a dressing-room row last season, is to try to relaunch his career back in his home town of Brescia after failing to win a first-team place at Tranmere.

The Everton striker Paul Rideout is having talks with Oldham about joining the First Division club on loan.

Stevenage Borough's FA Cup third-round tie against Birmingham City is to be played at St Andrew's on police advice.