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      Portsmouth announce Danny Cowley as new manager until end of the season with brother Nicky in as assistant

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      PORTSMOUTH have announced Danny Cowley as their new manager until the end of the season with his brother Nicky in as assistant.Pompey sacked Kenny Jackett after their EFL Trophy final defeat to Salford City at Wembley on Saturday.
      Danny Cowley is taking over Portsmouth with his brother Nicky in as assistant managerCredit: Getty

      On Sunday, SunSport exclusively revealed the League One side wanted ex-Cardiff and Millwall boss Neil Harris.
      But former Lincoln and Huddersfield boss Cowley has now been appointed on an initial deal until the end of the season.
      The 42-year-old will act as first-team head coach while his younger brother Nicky will serve as his assistant.
      He told the club’s website: “This is a club with unbelievable tradition, so the board didn’t need to sell it to us. We’re proud and privileged to be here.
      “Hopefully they saw two hard-working people who love the game and we’re delighted to be at Pompey.
      “We always have the ambition of leaving a club in a better position than we found it. We’ll be doing everything in order to achieve that here.”
      The Fratton Park board pulled the trigger on Jackett on Sunday morning with Portsmouth in dire form in League One.
      In nearly four years in charge, the 59-year-old led Pompey to EFL Trophy glory in 2019 but the fallen giants remain in the third tier.
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      Pompey chief executive Mark Catlin added: “Having spent time with Danny and Nicky over the past few days – and speaking to those who know them well – I am delighted that we can finally announce their arrival at Fratton Park.
      “We are all totally focused on giving Portsmouth Football Club the best chance of promotion in what is now, effectively, a 12-game mini-season.
      “I would like to thank them both for the enthusiastic and professional way they have approached working with us for this period and there is an absolute collective desire to achieve success.”
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      EFL discover 25 positive coronavirus tests in latest round of results… ALL of them at Championship side Rotherham

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      THE EFL have revealed they discovered 25 positive results in the latest round of Covid-19 – ALL of them at Rotherham.The Championship strugglers had already produced three positive results the previous week, forcing the cancellation of their matches against Brentford and Luton.
      Rotherham United returned all 25 of the EFl’s latest positive Covid testsCredit: Rex
      Paul Warne’s side are embroiled in a relegation dog fightCredit: PA
      At the time they informed league bosses others had been ordered to self-isolate because of potential close contact – but the next round of testing produced numbers which staggered officials.
      For the further 25 players and staff were all confirmed to have contracted coronavirus leading to their clash with Coventry also being postponed.
      To make matters worse, it is the second time this season the Millers have been forced to cancel matches after suffering an outbreak within the club.
      Now the EFL are investigating just how well Rotherham followed the strict protocols in place throughout the professional game aimed at minimising risk of spreading the virus.
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      The latest outbreak is now known to have infected 28 people in total, leading to the close of their Roundwood training ground for a second time.
      Paul Warne’s side, scrapping to avoid relegation to League One, were back in action for the first time in a fortnight on Tuesday when they were thrashed 4-1 at home by Watford.
      The Millers were due to return to action on Saturday against Bristol City.
      The latest outbreak in their camp, however, will almost certainly lead to the postponement of the fixture.
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      Neil Warnock charged by FA for explosive post-match blast at officials after Middlesbrough’s loss to Swansea

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      NEIL WARNOCK has been charged by the FA for his explosive post-match blast at officials.The Middlesbrough manager slammed referee Gavin Ward for a number of decisions in the 2-1 Championship loss to Swansea earlier this month.
      Middlesbrough manager Neil Warnock has been charged by the FA for his post-match rant about officials after Boro lost to SwanseaCredit: PA
      SunSport revealed last week the FA had launched an investigation into Warnock’s comments and he now has until March 22 to respond to the charge.
      An FA statement read: “Neil Warnock has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to Middlesbrough FC’s match against Swansea City FC in the EFL Championship on Saturday 6 March 2021.
      “It is alleged that comments made by the manager during a post-match interview constitute improper conduct as they questioned the integrity of the match official and/or implied bias and/or were personally offensive and/or bring the game into disrepute contrary to FA Rule E3.1.
      “Neil Warnock has until 22 March 2021 to provide a response to this charge.”
      Warnock also accused Swansea of benefiting from decisions in the match at the Liberty Stadium on March 6 because manager Steve Cooper’s dad Keith was a former top-flight official.
      His attack on Ward came after he disallowed Marc Bola’s strike, with Yannick Bolasie adjudged to have fouled Jay Fulton in the build-up.
      After Boro levelled, Ward then awarded the Welsh side a penalty deep in injury-time for a George Saville foul on Jake Bidwell, which Andre Ayew converted from the spot.
      Warnock, 72, said: “They are all heroes, they all want the celebrity status.
      “It’s wrong. My lads have been let down by a team of officials who weren’t good enough today. It’s not right.”
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      Warnock added: “I don’t know if it’s Cooper’s dad whose influencing this?
      “He must have all the numbers. But, joking apart, they can’t keep having decisions like that.”
      Boro are eighth in the Championship – just five points off the play-offs.
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      Nigel Adkins appointed as Charlton manager to replace Lee Bowyer in surprise choice and targets Premier League

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      CHARLTON have appointed Nigel Adkins as manager to replace Lee Bowyer.The former Southampton and Scunthorpe boss has been out of work since leaving Hull in 2019 – but hopes to replicate his St Mary’s success at The Valley and get Charlton from League One into the Premier League.
      Nigel Adkins has been appointed Charlton managerCredit: Getty
      Charlton Athletic are delighted to announce Nigel Adkins as the club’s Manager. Welcome to the Charlton family, Nigel! 🔴⚪ #cafc | https://t.co/f36HsGcQDw— Charlton Athletic FC (@CAFCofficial) March 18, 2021

      But Addicks owner Thomas Sandgaaard has given him a two-and-a-half-year contract as he looks for a League One play-off push from his sixth-placed side following Bowyer’s departure to Birmingham.
      Adkins said: “It’s a really exciting opportunity for me – something that has happened very quickly.
      “I’m really pleased to be here and am looking forward to meeting the players and getting started. 
       “I had a conversation with Thomas and he highlighted where he wants this club to go. It’s an exciting and long-term vision.
      “Getting to the Premier League is something that we all want and something that I have done before. I want to achieve that again.
      “The team got a great result on Tuesday night (a 3-2 win over Bristol Rovers) and now we need to keep driving on together, because we have got a chance of winning promotion this season.”
      Adkins’ best spell in management came at Saints, taking them from League One to the Prem between 2010 and 2013.
      Before that he was boss of Scunthorpe, where he was promoted from physio, leading to the chant: “Who needs Mourinho, we’ve got our physio!”
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      ADKINS’ MANAGERIAL CAREERADKINS has managed the following clubs
      Bangor (1993-96)
      Scunthorpe (2006-10)
      Southampton (2010-13)
      Reading (2013-14)
      Sheffield United (2015-16)
      Hull City (2017-19)
      Charlton (2021-)

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      It is these spells Sandgaard is hoping Adkins will replicate, rather than his more disappointing stints at Reading, Sheffield United and Hull.
      Charlton owner Sandgaard added: “I believe Nigel is the perfect personality, with the perfect background and the perfect experience to get us to where we want to be.
      “Both Nigel and I want us to playing football in the Premier League and I can’t wait to see us there.”
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      Alan Pardew in line for return to English football after ‘expressing interest in taking Portsmouth job’

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      ALAN PARDEW has reportedly expressed an interest in taking the Portsmouth job.Pompey sacked Kenny Jackett after their EFL Trophy final defeat to Salford at Wembley on Saturday.
      Alan Pardew is ‘interested’ in the Portsmouth jobCredit: Getty
      And former West Ham and Newcastle boss Pardew, 59, fancies a crack at the Fratton Park gig, according to reliable south coast football journalist Alex Crook.
      The TalkSport presenter tweeted: “Am told Alan Pardew and Phil Parkinson have both expressed an interest in the #Pompey job.”
      With his side in dire form in League One and slipping out of the play-off places, the Fratton Park board pulled the trigger on Jackett, 59, on Sunday morning.
      In nearly four years in charge, Jackett led Pompey to EFL Trophy glory in 2019.
      But back-to-back play-off slip-ups against Sunderland and Oxford ensured the club remained in the third tier with many fans calling for a change.
      On Sunday, SunSport exclusively revealed Portsmouth want ex-Cardiff and Millwall boss Neil Harris.
      Pardew’s colourful career took a new direction in November with his latest adventure as technical director for CSKA Sofia.
      He left Dutch side ADO Den Haag in April 2020 just two months after ultras hijacked his training session and tried to teach tactics to the players.
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      Am told Alan Pardew and Phil Parkinson have both expressed an interest in the #Pompey job— Alex Crook ⚽️🎙 (@alex_crook) March 16, 2021

      And for the first time in his life he is challenging for the title — even if it is in a league only slightly more competitive than Scotland’s annual two-horse race.
      Elsewhere former Pompey boss Harry Redknapp has offered to take the reins for free until a permanent boss is appointed.
      He told talkSPORT: “I’m ready – I’m getting bored.
      “I’ll walk up there tomorrow for nothing. I’ll do the job for nothing.
      “It’ll keep me busy and get me out of the house. Although I can’t do it until Cheltenham is over.”
      Former Portsmouth and Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara has also chucked his hat in the ring.
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      Banned ref Darren Drysdale given low-key return as fourth official at Scunthorpe vs Southend after squaring up to Judge

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      BANNED ref Darren Drysdale is being handed a low-key return to action as fourth official at Scunthorpe on Saturday.Drysdale was suspended after being found guilty of improper conduct during a heated clash with Ipswich midfielder Alan Judge last month.
      Darren Drysdale will return to action as fourth official this SaturdayCredit: Getty
      He is free to start work again but is being sent to Scunthorpe’s League Two relegation home game against Southend United where he won’t even be on the pitch.
      An FA disciplinary panel heard that Judge called Drysdale a ‘cheating bald c***’ as they locked heads during Ipswich’s match against Northampton on February 16.
      Judge disputes that account strongly and says his club has audio footage to prove his did not swear or label Drysdale a cheat.
      Drysdale, 49, admitted losing his composure in the incident but maintained the abuse he received that night was ‘the worst ever’ in his officiating career.
      He still received a ban that was backdated to February 19 and ran until March 10.
      The trip to Scunthorpe will be his first game since the episode in the 90th minute of a goalless draw at Portman Road.
      The two men squared up after Drysdale booked Judge for simulation instead of awarding him a penalty.
      The Football Association have warned Drysdale about his future conduct.
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      He returns from suspension for squaring up to Ipswich’s Alan JudgeCredit: MatchDay Images Limited

      And a visit to Glanford Park where he will be kept out of direct contact with players as much as possible is seen as the best way of easing the controversial official back into the fold.
      Both teams have plenty on the line Saturday with Essex side Southend desperate for points as they look to avoid relegation to the National League.
      Scunthorpe are also at risk of being dragged in as they sit 18th.
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      Portsmouth want ex-Cardiff and Millwall boss Neil Harris to replace axed Kenny Jackett

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      PORTSMOUTH are lining up Neil Harris to be their new manager.
      The former Cardiff boss is among the candidates to take over at Pompey following their sacking of Kenny Jackett yesterday.

      Portsmouth are looking to make Neil Harris their new managerCredit: Rex Features

      Jackett, who had been in charge for almost four years, was axed after Saturday’s Papa John’s Trophy final defeat by League Two Salford at Wembley.
      It came on the back of three successive League losses.
      And they have resulted in Pompey dropping out of the League One play-off places.
      Chief executive Mark Catlin said: “Portsmouth Football Club would like to place on record our sincere thanks to Kenny for the work he has done during his near four-year spell at the club and we all wish him well for the future.

      “It has been an emotional past few weeks for everyone associated with Pompey and we now begin the process – which will be as short as possible – of appointing someone who we believe can give us the best chance of finishing inside the top six. 
      “These talks begin now.”
      Jackett replaced Paul Cook in June 2017 and led the club to EFL Trophy success over Sunderland in 2019.
      But he had suffered the heartache of League One play-off semi-final defeats to the Black Cats and Oxford since.

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      Kenny Jackett was sacked after Pompey’s EFL Trophy final defeat to SalfordCredit: PA:Press Association

      Harris, 43, was sacked by Cardiff in January after guiding them to last season’s Championship play-offs – where they were beaten by Fulham in the semi-finals.
      He previously guided Millwall to promotion to the Championship via the League One play-offs in 2017.
      Tony Pulis and Danny Cowley are also among the contenders to take over at Pompey but Harris is their preferred choice.

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      Sunderland 1 Tranmere 0: Mackems finally break 48-year Wembley jinx thanks to Gooch’s goal but no fans there to see it

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      SUNDERLAND finally broke their Wembley jinx as Lynden Gooch’s second-half strike saw them win at the national stadium for the first time since 1973.
      Gooch converted from the edge of the box just before the hour mark and his team held on to lift the 2021 Papa John’s EFL Trophy – beating Tranmere 1-0.

      Sunderland won at Wembley for the first time in 48 years to lift the Papa John’s TrophyCredit: Rex Features

      Lynden Gooch scored the winner just before the hour markCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      The Mackems had not won in seven attempts at the national stadium since beating Leeds in the 1973 FA Cup final.
      And although – as boss Lee Johnson put it – ‘it’s not the biggest trophy’ Sunderland fans will be gutted they couldn’t be there to see them shake off the Wembley voodoo.
      Prior to match Rovers fans were simply asking the North East side not to batter them considering they’re chasing promotion in the league above.
      But in reality, the League Two side did themselves proud.

      Their five shots on target dwarfed Sunderland’s one but Gooch’s right-foot effort was the only one that went in and therefore the only one that really mattered.
      There was little to separate the teams in an entertaining contest – but a moment of quality proved decisive in the 57th minute when Aiden McGeady split the Tranmere defence with a through-ball and United States international Gooch finished off the chance.
      League Two beat League One in Saturday’s 2020 final as Salford saw off Portsmouth – but there was no repeat the following day despite a spirited display from Keith Hill’s team.
      Tranmere had the best chance of the first half in the 15th minute when Grant Leadbitter’s attempted clearance of Danny Lloyd’s shot was well kept out by stretching Sunderland goalkeeper Lee Burge.

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      The Mackems had not won in seven attempts at the national stadium since beating Leeds in the 1973 FA Cup finalCredit: Rex Features
      Chris Maguire, starting a game for the first time since December in the absence of the injured Aiden O’Brien, fired Sunderland’s first attempt wide before Tranmere threatened again through Kieron Morris’ blocked effort and Lloyd’s header, straight at Burge.
      Maguire saw a 29th-minute shot deflected wide for a corner before an unmarked Max Power failed to make the most of a header at the far post.
      Veteran Rovers defender Peter Clarke was penalised for a foul on Charlie Wyke in the 38th minute, giving McGeady a free-kick in a similar position to one he scored from in the 2019 final against Portsmouth – but this time the 34-year-old fired well over.
      The Black Cats were forced into their first change in the 44th minute when central defender Tom Flanagan, who needed early treatment for a head injury, was replaced by Conor McLaughlin before Leadbitter produced a timely block to deny Lloyd.
      Otis Khan nutmegged Luke O’Nien before drawing a diving save from Burge within three minutes of the restart, as Tranmere continued to look dangerous.
      However, Lee Johnson’s team responded in the 51st minute when 26-goal top scorer Wyke failed to make the right connection with McGeady’s driven cross.

      Then came the key moment, McGeady’s vision and incisive pass setting up Gooch who advanced and coolly lifted the ball over goalkeeper Scott Davies.
      Maguire was replaced by Jack Diamond five minutes later, with Tranmere bringing on on-loan Preston striker David Nugent and Corey Blackett-Taylor for Lloyd and Paul Lewis.
      The League Two side responded with a good spell of pressure, with O’Nien blocking a George Ray shot, Nugent narrowly failing to connect with a cross and Blackett-Taylor testing Burge.
      However, Sunderland, who came close themselves when McLaughlin’s 76th-minute effort was tipped onto the bar and over by Davies, held on to end their long wait for Wembley success.
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