The Herald

Lennon to Run Rule Over Rhodes ; Exclusive

Neil Lennon will watch the Scotland striker Jordan Rhodes at Wembley today. The Celtic manager is flying south to take in the npower League 1 play-off final between Huddersfield Town and Sheffield United and it will be Rhodes, who has netted 40 goals in 45 matches for the Yorkshire club this season, which he will focus his attention on as he contemplates a move for the striker.

Mccoist: Top-Six Finish a Dream If Best Players Leave Because of Signing Ban

Continued on Page 3 Ally McCoist last night backed the club's decision to challenge the Scottish Football Association in court.

Tim Howard, the Everton Goalkeeper, has Sympathised with His Usa... [Derived Headline]

Tim Howard, the Everton goalkeeper, has sympathised with his USA team-mate and captain, Carlos Bocanegra, who he says signed on at Rangers for winners' medals and Champions League football, but ended his first season empty handed and with the club in disarray. "I spoke with Carlos on a weekly basis when all that was going on and it wasn't easy for him," said Howard.

Former Chief Executive Criticises Sfa Over Signing Ban On Rangers

THE former SFA chief executive Gordon Smith has said the governing body acted too harshly in banning Rangers from signing players for 12 months. Smith, who also spent eight months at Ibrox as director of football under Craig Whyte, said the punishment could be ruinous to his former club and the SFA could have chosen more appropriate sanctions. Rangers are challenging the signing ban at the Court of Session. It was imposed after the club and Whyte were found guilty of bringing the game into di...

From Front Page

under new ownership? Will it start next season with a points penalty? Could it even reform as a newco which might be denied entry to the Scottish Premier League? The unknown elements make forward- planning extremely difficult for McCoist. "Pretty much everything is still on hold," he said. "All I can do is plan pre-season training, but the crazy thing is that you are planning it without knowing who will be there. It's a bizarre situation, but you have to plan and prepare as best you can to be...

Rhodes Can Become a Colossus of the Game

TODAY will be the first time Jordan Rhodes' has appeared at Wembley. The chances are it won't be his last. This will be the final club game of a remarkable season for the prolific Scot - he will round off the campaign with Billy Stark's Under-21s in Bulgaria on Thursday - and the most significant too, with his Huddersfield Town side taking on local rivals Sheffield United with a place in the Championship at stake. Huddersfield will turn to Rhodes to add to the 46 goals he has already plundere...

Hearts Push for Voting Change

Sergejus Fedotovas, the Hearts director closest to the owner, Vladimir Romanov, has called for the Scottish Premier League to have the courage to abandon the voting structure that gives the Old Firm the balance of power. The SPL clubs are due to meet again on Wednesday, with an amendment to the voting structure on the agenda. An 11-1 majority is currently required for major changes.

Darlington Drop Down Four Divisions Darlington Will Be Relegated Four... [Derived Headline]

Darlington DROP down four divisions Darlington will be relegated four divisions below the Blue Square Bet Premier to play in the Northern League from next season, the Football Association have confirmed.

Mckie Reveals Exit Strategy

Gordon McKie spent a week poring over the books at Ibrox when the Blue Knights and Brian Kennedy believed their bid for the club might be successful. Bill Miller had been appointed preferred bidder, only to later pull out after realising that his business plan was not in line with the reality of the figures. Yet McKie saw a club that, while at a low point in its history, could be quickly revived. He did the same at the Scottish Rugby Union, where he turned a loss-making business into a vibran...

International * Friendlies Academica Coimbra0angola2 Bastos 9 Yano 17 Belgium2montenegro2... [Derived Headline]

international * friendlies

Tables Have Turned Since Nevin Goal Put Americans to Sword

PAT NEVIN was the last Scot to conquer America. It has been 20 years since Scotland tasted victory over the United States and it was the former Chelsea and Everton winger who scored. The goal rather bizarrely went on to feature in the Mike Myers movie So I Married An Axe Murderer but the only thing on Nevin's mind after scoring the winner in Denver in May 1992 was a fear of missing the European Championship finals a few weeks later after he picked up an ankle injury.

* Roy Hodgson, the England Coach, has Indicated He May... [Derived Headline]

* Roy Hodgson, the England coach, has indicated he may be prepared to make an exception to his plan not to take injured players to Euro 2012 in order to squeeze Danny Welbeck into his squad. The Manchester United forward has not played a competitive match since April 30, when he sustained an ankle injury in a challenge with Nigel de Jong during the Barclays Premier League defeat to Manchester City.

Forster Can Make England Squad at Celtic, Says Bonner

IN a country where goalkeeping talent seems to be in something of short supply, Fraser Forster must be wondering what he has to do to force his way into the England set-up, writes Graeme Macpherson. John Ruddy's enforced withdrawal yesterday from the squad for next month's European Championships with a broken finger means Jack Butland, a 19-year-old yet to play a competitive game for Birmingham City, will be Roy Hodgson's third-choice goalkeeper behind Joe Hart and Robert Green in Poland and ...

Captain's Rest

It is rare for any footballer to be in a rush to relinquish a captain's armband, least of all once they have been chosen to lead their national team. However, Kenny Miller could not have been any more enthusiastic about giving up the honour. That day will come when Darren Fletcher returns to the Scotland team and Miller is the latest member of this squad to underline how important the Manchester United midfielder is to Craig Levein's group. A bowel condition has stopped Fletcher from playing ...

Goalkeeper Poised to Set New Scotland Caps Record

WOMEN's FOOTBALL Fay will reach 142 mark against Swedes, writes Alan Campbell Gemma Fay, the Celtic goalkeeper, is expected to become Scotland's most-capped footballer of all time today when the national side take on Sweden at Stark's Park, Kirkcaldy. The 30- year-old will pass Pauline Hamill's record of 141 international appearances if she plays - she is expected to be captain - in the prestigious friendly.

Francomb Signs Norwich Deal As Sproule Set to Stay at Hibs

GEORGE FRANCOMB has signed a new one-year contract with Norwich City, reducing the chances of a return to Hibernian, the club he joined on loan last season. However, Ivan Sproule is likely to play at Easter Road again, after his agent denied the winger was about to join St Johnstone. Francomb, 20, played for Norwich against Celtic in Adam Drury's testimonial on Tuesday.

Martinez 'has Liverpool Offer' Claims Wigan Chairman

Dave Whelan, the Wigan Athletic chairman, has claimed that Liverpool have made an offer to Roberto Martinez, but says his manager will not make a decision until he has met the club's owners for a second time. Martinez met with John Henry, Liverpool's principal owner, in Miami on Thursday, after interrupting a family holiday in the Caribbean. It was expected Fenway Sports Group would then speak to other candidates, with a second approach for Brendan Rodgers, the Swansea manager who turned down...

Sloan: 'Big' Scottish Cup Run Stole Our Hearts

Auchinleck Talbot V Shotts Bon Accord Lanarkshire Side Play David to Nine-Time Winners' Goliath ; a Shott at Glory

FRED TRUEMAN, the England and Yorkshire fast bowler, was once asked if anybody would ever overhaul his tally of Test victims. He replied in matter-of-fact fashion: "I don't know but, if they do, they will be bloody tired." It is a sentiment which is shared by the officials of Shotts Bon Accord, who have prepared for tomorrow's Emirates Scottish Junior FA Cup final against the holders, Auchinleck Talbot, by packing off their knackered personnel to a variety of masseurs, sports scientists, and ...

Rabodirect Pro12 Grand Final Leinster V Ospreys ; Familiar Foe Stands Between Leinster and Historic Double

Leinster, a team so long defined by failure, are odds-on favourites to beat Ospreys in the RaboDirect PRO12 Grand Final at their Royal Dublin Showground home tomorrow, a result that would clinch an unprecedented Celtic/European double and cement their reputation as the greatest club side of the modern era. The Irish outfit completed the first part of that double when they hammered Ulster 42-14 in the Heineken Cup final at Twickenham a week ago. No side has been able to clinch both European an...