Sporting Digest: Football

JIM THOMPSON, a former chairman of Maidstone United and director of Dartford, has been banned from all football activities for three months after being found guilty of breaching Football Association regulations. The FA disciplinary commission also banned Thompson for a further nine months, suspended for two years, and ordered him to pay pounds 13,000 costs. The charges arose from irregularities in a ground-sharing agreement between Maidstone and Dartford, and the distribution of the assets of both clubs after they were wound up.

SHAMROCK ROVERS secured the Bord Gais League of Ireland title - their first for seven years - when they beat Shelbourne 2-1 at the RDS ground in Dublin on Wednesday. With one match remaining, Rovers have an unassailable four-point lead over last year's champions, Cork City.

IAN KNIGHT, the former England Under-21 defender, is to take legal action against Gary Bennett, the player involved in the incident which eventually ended his career. Knight, then 20, had his right leg broken in seven places by a tackle from Bennett, then with Chester but now with Wrexham, in 1987. After an abortive comeback, he retired in 1991.