Dogs used at United: Manchester United have started using sniffer dogs to combat the threat of a terrorist attack at Old Trafford. The club has become the first in Britain to take such a measure, having spoken at length to the police and security advisers in the wake of the bombs in London on July 7th.

Although there has been no specific threat the club have decided to increase security beyond the routine match-day checks. The dogs are being employed at every home match to sweep the four stands as well as the forecourt and surrounding areas outside the stadium.

United have increased security since newspaper reports in April last year that Old Trafford had been targeted for a possible attack and that tickets for a home match against Liverpool had been discovered in a Manchester flat where six men and one woman were arrested by anti-terrorist officers.

Ballack offered

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon has confirmed the club have been offered the chance to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Michael Ballack. Kenyon told Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge that Ballack's agent had approached the champions with a view to sounding out their interest in the 29-year-old German international. Ballack's future is uncertain after the club withdrew their contract offer. He is out of contract at the end of the season but Manchester United have ruled themselves out of the running for his signature.

Rummenigge revealed Kenyon and Real Madrid president Florentino Perez had informed him of the approaches from the Ballack's agent.

Greats to carry coffin

Manchester United and Northern Ireland footballing greats are to carry George Best's coffin. The soccer icon's lifelong friend Denis Law and former international manager Billy Bingham will be among the pallbearers at tomorrow's funeral in Belfast.

Harry Gregg, who played with Best for both club and country, Derek Dougan, Peter McParland and Gerry Armstrong are also to take his body up to the steps of Parliament Buildings, Stormont.

After a handover Calum Best, the star's son, other relatives and close friends will take the coffin into the Great Hall for a memorial service attended by family and VIP guests including England manager Sven Goran Eriksson.

Action over tickets

Germany's consumer association launched a legal challenge yesterday against the conditions under which some tickets for next year's World Cup finals are being sold. The complaint concerns fans who applied in November to be placed on a waiting list for anticipated returns. The association complains that applicants have to pay in advance without knowing whether they will get a ticket and are automatically charged a €5 service fee whether successful or not.

The consumer body has asked a court in Frankfurt to make the German Football Association (DFB) adjust the conditions.

Scully for Rovers

Shamrock Rovers yesterday confirmed that Pat Scully has been appointed as the club's new manager. The former Rovers and Shelbourne skipper succeeds Roddy Collins who was dismissed at the start of the week.

"It was vitally important that we made an appointment as soon as possible," said Rovers chairman Jonathan Roche yesterday, "and we feel Pat is the ideal man for the job: he's young, ambitious and just had a great season at Kilkenny.

Scully is out of the country on holidays and will be officially unveiled by the club next week.

In brief . . .

Everton's Tim Cahill has been found guilty of violent conduct by a FA disciplinary commission and suspended for three matches with immediate effect . . . Primera Liga side Real Betis say that they have agreed deals that would allow either Liverpool striker Florent Sinama-Pongolle or Porto forward Helder Postiga to join the club on a loan deal until the end of the season . . . Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd has issued an apology to the club's fans following the club's dismal 1-0 League Cup fourth-round defeat by promoted Wigan's much-changed side on Wednesday night . . . Arsenal midfielder Alexander Hleb is set to make his long-awaited return from injury in next week's Champions League tie against Ajax . . . Rangers have hired a Swedish firm to help it fight the illegal copying of merchandise such as shirts, which costs the club up to £6 a year . . .

LAST NIGHT'S RESULTS

Uefa Cup

GROUP E: Basle 4 Tromso 3; Crevna Zvezda 3 Roma 1.

GROUP F: Dinamo Bucuresti 1 CSKA Moscow 0, Levski Sofia 1 Marseille 0.

GROUP G: Rapid Bucuresti 1 PAOK Salonika 0 Rennes 0 Shakhtar Donetsk 1.

GROUP H: Besiktas 1 Zenit St Petersburg 1, Sevilla 3 Guimaraes 1.