Football: Lazio owner is arrested

SERGIO CRAGNOTTI, the owner of Lazio, was last night arrested in connection with one of the country's largest corruption cases. Cragnotti, who was instrumental in the signing of Paul Gascoigne, is a former president of a firm connected with ENI, the state energy concern which is suspected of paying tens of millions of pounds in bribes to politicians and bureaucrats during a takeover.

In England a training incident in which Joe Allon, Brentford's leading scorer, incurred a fractured jaw led to Micky Bennett, a winger at the club, having his contract terminated yesterday.

Bennett, 24, came to Griffin Park from Wimbledon in 1992. His contract was cancelled after a meeting with his manager, David Webb. The club has waived any right to a fee for the player, while Allon will spend several weeks recuperating.

St Johnstone moved quickly to fill the gap left by John McClelland by appointing Paul Sturrock, the former Dundee United player and coach, as manager yesterday.