Sporting Digest: Football

The former Celtic defender Dariusz Wdowczyk, 35, is returning to Poland as player-coach of Polonia Warsaw after being given a free transfer by Reading.

Middlesbrough are to increase the price of season tickets at the Riverside Stadium following promotion to the Premiership. Increases will range up to 16 per cent with the most expensive season ticket pounds 408.50. Boro had a club record of 29,100 season ticket holders for the First Division and they already have a 4,500 waiting list for the Premiership.

Arsenal have signed the 15-year-old goalkeeper Graham Stack after Bob Wilson, who played in the Gunners' 1970-71 Double campaign, recommended him to the Highbury staff after seeing him at one of his coaching schools.

Fiorentina's former Arsenal midfielder Stefan Schwarz has signed a four- year contract with Valencia.

The out-of-contract Plymouth Argyle midfielder Mark Saunders has joined Gillingham on a free transfer.

The Preston manager David Moyes has signed a new 12-month contract with the Second Division club and is to have the former North End goalkeeper Kelham O'Hanlon as his assistant.

The former Southampton manager Dave Merrington has resigned as chief scout for Wolves after only 15 months in the job. The 52-year-old has been linked with the vacant manager's position at Burnley, where he has been a player and also a first-team coach.

Metz's French international striker Robert Pires said yesterday he had agreed a seven-year contract with Olympique Marseilles. Metz are also selling their midfielder Jocelyn Blanchard to Juventus.