And those two non-football bits of news wrap up Sportsday's new season special...

Make sure you come back to BBC Sport about 18:30 BST when our live text commentary of the Championship curtain-raiser between Blackburn and Cardiff begins.

Then, we will have more live texts, score updates, and everything else associated with live football, when the rest of the action kicks off on Saturday. Make sure you're with us!

Is there any stopping Rory McIlroy? The name of the recently-crowned Open champion, and new world number one, is still top of the US PGA leaderboard midway through day two at Valhalla.

Keep tabs on the progress of the Northern Irishman - and the rest of the field - with our live leaderboard.

Image source, AP

The announcement has been made - play has been abandoned for day two of the fourth Test between England and India.

England are stuck on 237-6 after torrential rain forced the players from the field at 14:15 BST.

Aberdeen defender Andrew Considine feels his side have been boosted by their European exploits - but not enough to challenge Celtic for the Scottish Premiership title.

The Dons showed huge improvement under Derek McInnes last year, finishing third and winning the League Cup. They also reached the third qualifying round of this season's Europa League where they tested Spanish side Real Sociedad before bowing out.

But Considine said: "Celtic are still Celtic. They spend millions of pounds on players and they are still streets ahead of us. All we want to do is have a season like last year, finish third or second or something like that."

Championship newcomers Fulham sign ex-Notts County midfielder Mark Fotheringham on a one-year deal.

Fotheringham, 30, spent the summer with the Cottagers as a trialist, playing in the pre-season friendlies against Rangers and East Fife.

Boss Felix Magath was impressed enough to hand a longer term deal to the ex-Celtic trainee.

St Johnstone striker Stevie May was due to have signing talks with Rotherham on Friday afternoon, the BBC learns.

The English Championship side were given permission to speak to the 21-year-old, who scored 27 goals last season.

Dundee United manager Jackie McNamara believes his side face almost as tough a task as they could get in Sunday's Scottish Premiership opener at Aberdeen.

"It's a tough one - no doubt about it," he says. "Aberdeen are a strong side who proved themselves last season by winning the League Cup.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Scotland captain Barry Ferguson will be the headline act for Clyde, having taken over as player-manager at Broadwood, while Arbroath, Albion Rovers and Montrose also have new gaffers.

The bookmakers have East Fife as slight favourites but there is no obvious front-runner, with every side undergoing major changes over the summer.

Annan were runners-up last term and boast a good record at Galabank, while released Hibernian midfielders David Gold and Dean Horribine may prove smart acquisitions for Berwick Rangers.

Queen's Park, bottom by a distance last term, appear destined to struggle again, having lost star winger Blair Spittal to Dundee United.

Who would have backed either Widnes or Castleford to reach the Challenge Cup final? Me neither. But it is going to happen.

The pair do battle on Sunday for the right to face the winners of Leeds and Warrington in the showpiece event of the rugby league calendar.

Widnes make two changes to the 19-man squad that beat Hull KR last weekend, with Paddy Flynn and Alex Gerrard coming in for Phil Joseph and Patrick Ah Van. Castleford are without winger Justin Carney and forward Weller Hauraki.

See which side books their place at Wembley by watching the game live on BBC Two at 15:00 BST.

Relegated Morton and last year's runners-up Dunfermline, who messed up in the play-offs, are the only full-time sides in the division.

The recruitment of Michael Moffat, who scored 27 goals for Ayr last season, may just give the Pars the edge, while new boss Jimmy Duffy has been busy overhauling the squad at Cappielow.

Airdrieonians will be a force if manager Gary Bollan's side can help maintain the form that led to only one loss in their last 16 matches.

Stenhousemuir and Forfar have added some experience, while Peterhead keep faith with the players that won the League Two title.

New Zealand cricketer Jimmy Neesham:, external "Imagine if your cricket gear went through America and they drilled holes in your bat to look for drugs... "

Image source, Twitter

Image source, Getty Images

League One champions Rangers and relegated Edinburgh pair Hearts and Hibernian are among 10 clubs chasing just one automatic promotion spot.

With such big names scrapping it out, attention will be on the second tier like never before.

With experienced duo Kenny Miller and Kris Boyd back to lead the attack, Rangers will be strong favourites to continue their climb back up the leagues, while there are new managers in place at Tynecastle and Easter Road.

Of the rest, Falkirk look best placed to mount a challenge, with new boss Peter Houston bolstering a talented young squad with a few older heads with top-flight experience.

Rory McIlroy defies further rain at Valhalla and powers into the lead after an eagle at his ninth hole in round two. The Open champion is now eight under for the Championship, two ahead of Americans Ryan Palmer and Steve Stricker. First-day leader Lee Westwood, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are later starters on Friday, with play delayed by a morning deluge.

Elizabeth Hudson
BBC Sport in Eindhoven

"There's been a gold rush for Great Britain at the IPC Swimming European Championships with Susie Rodgers, Andrew Mullen and Sascha Kindred all winning their third titles of the week.

"Rodgers took the S7 100m freestyle with Mullen winning the S5 200m freestyle event while Kindred, the veteran of the team at 36, won the S6 100m freestyle title and has the SB7 100m breaststroke to come later this evening.

"But Ellie Simmonds was beaten for the second time this week by new Ukraine rival Yelyzaveta Mereshko - this time in the 100m freestyle with Mereshko also taking the four-time Paralympic champion's European record."

Image source, Getty Images

It is widely expected that Celtic will canter to a fourth consecutive title, even though new manager Ronny Deila has made a wobbly start with a heavy defeat against Legia Warsaw in their Champions League elimination-cum-qualification.

Celtic made it three-in-a-row by a whopping margin of 29 points last season and the squad remains largely unchanged, although it may prove difficult to ward off interest in goalkeeper Fraser Forster and defender Virgil van Dijk.

Aberdeen have improved significantly under Derek McInnes and an impressive Europa League win over Groningen suggests they can be the best of the rest, although Motherwell boss Stuart McCall has worked wonders on a limited budget in recent years.

Dundee United have turned a tidy profit selling off Ryan Gauld and Andy Robertson but a host of exciting young players remain at Tannadice, while neighbours Dundee may prove a surprise package on their return to the top flight.

Before we do though, an update from the Test match. Warm sunshine in the Trafford area now but the umpires are not happy with conditions and want another inspection at 17:00 BST. A reminder that England lead by 85 runs at 237-6 on day two of the fourth Test with India.

Image source, Getty Images

We've told you the hopes, fears and expectations surrounding the 24 Championship clubs in England, and you've had your say on where the League One and League Two titles are going.

Now it is time to turn our attentions north of the border. The Scottish leagues start on Saturday but champions Celtic do not play until Wednesday when they face St Johnstone.

So how about a bit of team news ahead of that match? Here goes:

Blackburn have a fully fit squad as winger Ben Marshall and striker Rudy Gestede appear to have overcome bugs.

Cardiff have only two available centre-backs with Juan Cala suspended and Ben Turner injured, so Matt Connolly looks set to partner Mark Hudson. Craig Noone (groin) is out through injury.

In little over three hours' time, the Football League is back! Blackburn host relegated Cardiff at Ewood Park in the curtain raiser and you can follow every kick in our live text commentary. Kick-off is 19:45 BST, with the coverage starting at about 18:30 BST.

Swansea respond to threats from Dutch side FC Utrecht over the sale of goalkeeper Michel Vorm to Tottenham.

The Eredivisie club say they have not received 30% of Vorm's transfer fee, which they claim was agreed as part of his deal to join Swansea in 2011 but the Swans say: "The transfer of Michel Vorm was conducted and concluded correctly under Premier League rules. It was approved by the Premier League and also Fifa."