Central Sport News

Retired footballer, Neil Clements, who played for West Brom until 2010, has been banned from horse racing for over 15 years.

Clements, who joined Albion in 2000, has also been told to pay £3,000 in fines.

The British Horseracing Authority found him in breach of three rules:

• Conspiring to commit a corrupt or fraudulent practice
• Placing a lay bet on a horse which he then owned
• Failure to provide phone records

• Sport
• West Bromwich Albion
• Neil Clements

I have enjoyed some wonderful times at Stoke City and nobody was prouder than me when, after 23 years of exile from top-flight football, we gained Barclays Premier League status.

Over the past five years we have created history by being the only team in this Club’s 150 years existence to remain out of the bottom six in top-flight football for five consecutive seasons. In leaving I am very proud of what we have all achieved.

To the supporters ... and players who have worked under me during the seven year tenure, I give my thanks for what has been a wonderful adventure.

• Sport
• Stoke City
• Tony Pulis

Stiliyan Petrov will take up a new role as assistant development coach, the Club has confirmed.

Aston Villa’s 33-year-old former captain announced his retirement on May 9, 2013 having successfully battled acute leukaemia.

“I’m very excited by this new challenge and I wish to thank the Club and the manager, Paul Lambert, for giving me the opportunity to continue my association with Villa, which I have always regarded as a privilege,” Petrov said.

• Sport
• Stiliyan Petrov
• Aston Villa

A coin was tossed during the Froch v Kessler presser to see who would walk into the arena first due to then both being champions. Kessler won the toss and chose to walk in second.

This pleased Froch, who said he would have chosen first – a decision he made against Lucien Bute who he later went on to beat.

He also said that walking in first would be harder for Kessler who would hear the roar of the home crowd in the 18,000 packed arena.

• Sport
• Carl Froch
• Mikkel Kessler

The England Women's Rugby Player of the Year will be announced this evening, with all three nominees from the Midlands.

Worcester duo Katherine Merchant and Joanne Watmore are competing with Lichfield's Emily Scarratt for the award.

More than 13,000 women and girls play rugby regularly in England.

England won a record-breaking seventh consecutive 6 Nations crown in 2012 as well as the Grand Slam. They also became the first team in 6 Nations history not to concede a try.

England are ranked number two in the world.

England will participate in two Rugby World Cups over the next two years: the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow in 2013 and the XVs Rugby World Cup in France 2014.

For more information visit the Governing Body of Rugby Union in England.

• UK
• Rugby
• Rugby Union

Wolverhampton-born referee, the late Jack Taylor OBE, will be inducted into the National Football Museum Hall Of Fame.

He will become the first referee to be inducted in September.

Taylor was selected to officiate the 1974 World Cup Final between West Germany and Netherlands in which he awarded two penalties in the first 30 minutes.

Taylor also refereed a number of FA Cup and European Cup Finals.

• Sport
• Jack Taylor OBE
• Wolverhampton

Ahead of this weekend's Champions League final live on ITV, we take a look at the success Midlands teams have had in the competition.

Nottingham Forest became one of the only teams to regain the European Cup as they beat Hamburg to lift the trophy in 1980.

• Sport
• Aston Villa
• Nottingham Forest

Boxer Carl Froch will go before the cameras for one last time today before his title fight on Saturday.

Nottingham's Carl Froch will be defending his IBF Middleweight title to Mikkel Kessler at the O2 arena in London.

Carl Froch told ITV News Central's Steve Clamp that he is confident in bringing his belt back to the Midlands.

• Sport
• Carl Froch
• Mikkel Kessler