FOOTBALL: Joe Cole has signed for Aston Villa on a two-year deal, the club announced yesterday.

The 32-year-old was available on a free transfer after being released by West Ham at the end of last season.

Villa published a picture via Twitter of Cole wearing a club tracksuit top at their Bodymoor Heart training complex.

The accompanying text confirmed Cole had “completed a medical this morning.”

TENNIS: British number two Dan Evans crashed out of the Queen’s Club Championships with a comprehensive straight-sets defeat to South African Kevin Anderson yesterday.

Birmingham-born Evans tiptoed past Jurgen Melzer in a three-set first-round upset on Monday but was unable to repeat the heroics against the tournament’s seventh seed.

The world number 18 progressed to the third round winning 6-2 6-3. 

FOOTBALL: Hibernian have sacked manager Terry Butcher following their relegation from the Scottish Premiership, the club announced yesterday.

Butcher replaced Pat Fenlon in November but, after a disastrous run of form which saw the Leith side win just once in their last 18 league games, his side were relegated after a penalty shoot-out loss to Hamilton in the Scottish Premiership play-off final.

TENNIS: New British number one Heather Watson wasted three match points as she crashed out of the AEGON Classic in Birmingham yesterday.

The Guernsey 22-year-old fell 2-6 7-5 6-4 to Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak after a first-round match lasting two hours and 12 minutes.

It was a disappointing result for Watson, who jumped above Laura Watson to 69th in the world rankings after reaching the second round of the French Open last month.