Football: Swede in at Ashton Gate

THE ARRIVAL of Benny Lennartsson to take charge of coaching duties at Bristol City was the catalyst for John Ward's resignation as the manager of the First Division strugglers.

Ward walked out on Tuesday night, citing a difference of opinion over the director of coaching's duties - and City have since confirmed that Lennartsson, Sweden's former World Cup technical adviser, has been given a wide brief to revamp the club.

Lennartsson, who has recently completed a three-year stint in charge of the Copenhagen club Lyngby, was voted "coach of the year" by the Danish Football Union this year.

Ward, the former Bristol Rovers manager who had been in charge at City for 18 months, left when the Ashton Gate club agreed to release him from his contract.

Crystal Palace have cut their losses and sold their record signing, the centre-back Valerien Ismael, to the French champions, Lens, for pounds 1.3m.

Ismael, a French Under-21 international, was signed by Steve Coppell from Strasbourg for pounds 2.75m in January. He has not played for the Eagles since Terry Venables took over as manager. Palace are also prepared to release the utility player Paul Warhurst, who has failed to settle in London since his pounds 1m transfer from Blackburn Rovers in 1997.

"My family are back up north in Stockport and that is the reason I want to move," Warhurst said yesterday. "It has nothing to do with Crystal Palace at all. I have the utmost respect for both Terry Venables and Mark Goldberg - but I want to be close to my family."

Palace have also signed the 23-year-old former Tottenham winger Andy Turner on a free transfer from Portsmouth. The ex-Republic of Ireland Under-21 international joined Pompey for pounds 250,000 in 1996, but has rarely made the first team.

However, the pounds 1.5m transfer of the former Portsmouth striker Lee Bradbury to Palace has been held up. The Manchester City player is to have a scan on a back injury which afflicted him last season, and has not yet fully cleared up.

The Leeds United captain, Lucas Radebe, has begun contract talks aimed at keeping him at Elland Road for the remainder of his career. The club's chairman, Peter Ridsdale, and Radebe's financial adviser Gary Blumberg have opened negotiations which could see the South African international sign a three-year extension to his contract.

The 29-year-old has another 18 months of his current deal to run, with a potentially lucrative free transfer looming at the end of next season.

David O'Leary is making a pounds 3m move to bring Ashley Ward to Leeds as his first signing. The Irishman hopes to push through a deal by the weekend for the Barnsley striker.

Manchester City are making a player-plus-cash bid to sign Craig Hignett from Aberdeen. The Maine Road manager, Joe Royle, has started moves for the former Middlesbrough and Crewe Alexandra midfielder, who has been unable to settle in Scotland since his summer move from Teesside.

The Wolverhampton Wanderers manager, Mark McGhee, has requested a personal hearing after being charged with misconduct by the Football Association.

McGhee was charged earlier this week after criticising the referee, Paul Danson, following his side's 1-0 defeat at Portsmouth earlier this month.