CHESTERFIELD striker Ched Evans was yesterday acquitted of rape following a retrial.

The 27-year-old was originally convicted of raping a 19-year-old woman in a Premier Inn near Rhyl, North Wales, in May 2011.

He served half of a five-year prison sentence before being released after the Court of Appeal quashed his conviction and ordered a retrial earlier this year.

A jury found Evans not guilty following three hours of deliberations after the eight-day trial at Cardiff Crown Court.

BOOKIES’ favourite Kenny Jackett is highly unlikely to become the next manager of Shrewsbury Town, according to reports in Shropshire.

The club are believed to have drawn up a 10-man shortlist to replace Micky Mellon, who departed the club to take over at Tranmere.

With Steve Cotterill and Tony Mowbray having also already ruled themselves out of the running, Shrewsbury chief executive Brian Caldwell has said that it is hard to get former Championship managers to drop down a tier.

PREMIER League Tottenham Hotspur are leading the chase to land talented midfielder Leonardo Da Silva Lopes from Peterborough United.

The 17-year-old has been subject to much transfer speculation in recent months after breaking through at London Road.

Scouts from Spurs, Liverpool and Southampton were all reportedly at Peterborough’s game with Bury last weekend to watch the youngster, with the north London club in pole position to snare their target.

COVENTRY City midfielder Ben Stevenson has penned a new four-year deal at the Ricoh.

The 19-year-old academy product, made his professional debut earlier this season in a 3-2 win over Portsmouth in the EFL Cup.

The midfielder, who joined the club at the age of eight, will see his new contract run until June 2020.

OXFORD United chairman Darryl Eales is looking for a quick sale of the club’s Kassam Stadium.

Supporters’ group OxVox have begun talks with ground owner Firoz Kassam about taking control of the 12,500-seater stadium.

Kassam still owns the stadium which bears his name despite selling the club for £2m back in 2006.