Rangers boss Harry Redknapp takes his seat in front of the waiting press pack, has a loud slurp of his cup of tea, and that means he is ready to talk football. Specifically his second-bottom side's trip to Stoke on Saturday....

Image source, Getty Images

Former Hull City striker Dean Windass is to become the club's first official ambassador.

Windass made his debut for his hometown club in 1991 and, after scoring 57 goals in four years, he was sold to Aberdeen in December 1995 for £700,000 which helped offset Hull's tax problems.

Following spells at Oxford United, Bradford City, Middlesbrough and Sheffield United, Windass returned to Hull in January 2007, helping the Tigers stay up before scoring the winner in the 2008 Championship play-off final against Bristol City to secure their promotion to the Premier League.

"I have always had a special affinity with the club and always will do," said Windass.

Sale Sharks have re-signed hooker Neil Briggs from Leicester Tigers and agreed a new deal with second-row Jonathan Mills, both on two-year contracts.

Briggs, 29, spent six years at the Sharks before leaving to join French side Bourgoin in 2011.

Ex-London Welsh captain Mills, 30, joined Sale in 2013 after the Exiles' relegation from the Premiership.

Image source, Getty Images

You may have noticed a glaring omission from our Premier League news conference round-up earlier.

Chelsea have cancelled their news conference as they await the outcome of Friday's disciplinary hearing into Diego Costa's alleged stamp on Liverpool's Emre Can.

The Spain international was charged with violent conduct by the Football Association on Wednesday over the incident but is to contest the charge.

Image source, Getty Images

Things are just getting a little edgy for England in Perth.

They are making heavy weather of their 201 run-chase against India, with Moeen Ali and Joe Root joining early casualty Ian Bell back in the pavilion.

Eoin Morgan's men are now 45-3.

Keep up with all the action here.

Image source, Getty Images

England's Danny Willett shot to the top of the leaderboard at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic this morning.

The Sheffield player shaved six shots off par across 11 holes to move a stroke clear of the field, as the likes of Rory McIlroy prepared to start their second round.

Playing the back nine first, Willett picked up shots on the 10th, 12th, 13th, 17th, 18th and second, and is one ahead of the trio of Emiliano Grillo, Bernd Wiersberger and Marc Warren.

McIlroy was in the clubhouse on six under.

Image source, Getty Images

The balls used in Sunday's Super Bowl will be given "added security" amid the ongoing investigation into the NFL's 'deflate-gate' controversy.

Finalists New England Patriots used under-inflated balls in their victory over Indianapolis Colts.

Referee chief Dean Blandino said 108 balls will be used as the Patriots take on Seattle Seahawks in Arizona.

Russell Fuller
BBC tennis correspondent on Radio 5 live sports extra

Image source, Getty Images

Britain's Katie Swan, 15, has reached the final of the girls' singles in Melbourne.

Despite dropping the opening set 6-0, she fought back to level against fifth seed Dalma Galfi before winning 7-5 in the decider.

Image source, Getty Images

We mentioned earlier that we have a great many of those managerial news conference thingys today, so we thought we'd mark your card with the times of the runners and riders.

Hull get the worm as Friday's early-risers and kick things off at 08:30. Arsenal and QPR get involved from 09:00 before a wee lull until Tottenham rock up at 12:00.

Louis van Gaal speaks for Man Utd at 12:30 and Man City's Manuel Pellegrini takes centre stage at 12:45. Aston Villa and Sunderland's pressers are at 13:30, followed by Southampton and Swansea at 14:00. Stoke are last across the line at 14:30.

Image source, Getty Images

So England need just 201 from 50 overs to reach the Tri-Series final against Australia.

England won the toss and put India in under a muggy sky at the Waca. Rahane and Dhawan made a steady start and put on 83 for the first wicket, before England's bowlers fought back with three wickets for Finn and two apiece from Moeen, Broad and Woakes.

England's reply has suffered an early setback with the in-form Ian Bell out for just 10. They are currently 32-1 and you can keep up with all the action over on our dedicated live page.

Image source, Getty Images

Tiger Woods struggled to a two-over-par 73 in the opening round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open on Thursday in his first PGA Tour start of the season.

The former world number one was five over after 12 holes before an eagle on the 13th helped him finish eight shots behind leader Ryan Palmer.

Ben Smith
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Straight on with some breaking news now and our very own Ben Smith reports that Liverpool have joined the race to sign Burnley forward Danny Ings.

Reds manager Brendan Rodgers wants to get the deal done before the transfer window closes on Monday but is willing to allow the 22-year-old, who has scored seven goals this season, to return to Turf Moor on loan for the rest of the season to get the deal done.

Ings is now in the final six months of his contract and is attracting interest from a number of clubs, including Tottenham and David Moyes' Real Sociedad. Burnley are, however, determined to keep the player at the club until the end of the season.

Settle down folks, it looks like today's going to be a busy one.

The Premier League is back tomorrow and we have 11 managers' news conferences to bring you, with Hull's Steve Bruce, Arsenal's Arsene Wenger and QPR's Harry Redknapp the first out of the traps from 08:30 GMT.

We'll also have updates from England's Tri-Series match with India and keep across events at the Australian Open, where world number one Novak Djokovic and reigning champion Stan Wawrinka are playing for the right to meet Andy Murray in the final.

If that wasn't enough, we'll also have all the latest breaking football transfer news and a few scurrilous rumours too.

Welcome to Sportsday.