Former Manchester United striker Michael Owen has joined Stoke City on a one-year contract, the Premier League club said. Owen was a free agent after being released by United at the end of last season. British media reported that the 32-year-old signed a pay-as-you-play deal at the Potters. The former England international played only four times for United last season because of injury problems. In total, he scored 17 times in 52 games for the Old Trafford club after joining them in 2009. His last appearance in the Premier League was on September 24 last year, when he came on as a substitute against Stoke in a 1-1 draw at Britannia Stadium. Reuters
Four Singaporean referees were handed one-month bans after being caught officiating in another tournament without permission from the country's soccer association. They were found guilty of taking part in a promotional street soccer event in Thailand by a four-person Football Association of Singapore (FAS) disciplinary committee. "FAS takes a serious view of referees moonlighting and we strongly believe that as enforcers of the law of the game, our referees must continue to set the right example by adhering to all the rules and regulations," a FAS spokesman said yesterday. "This latest verdict by the disciplinary committee sends out a clear message to all referees." Reuters