Collymore calls time on career

Stan Collymore's career suddenly ended in Oviedo, Spain yesterday when he announced his retirement at the age of 30.The former England forward joined Real Oviedo on January 31st after a brief spell with Bradford.

A statement from the player's spokesman Ian Monk said: "Stan Collymore has decided, after discussions with his family and close friends, to give up playing professional football."

Collymore claimed just three England caps despite his return of 41 goals in just 65 league games for Nottingham Forest and 26 for Liverpool in 61 appearances.

Meanwhile, the finance committee of the FAI yesterday agreed to establish a four-man committee to look into the matter of the alleged abuse of a company credit card by the association's chief executive, Bernard O'Byrne.

PFAI representatives have agreed to put a request from National League clubs to players that they allow their employers to defer the payment of wages for weeks when games are postponed due to the foot-and-mouth crisis until the end of the season when those games are played. The players are due to meet on Sunday and the PFAI will meet again with the league's representatives next Wednesday.

O'Byrne confirmed yesterday the association has received "cast iron" assurances from both the Cypriot government and FA that the forthcoming World Cup qualifier in Nicosia will go ahead as scheduled.

The kick-off times for both the forthcoming internationals have, however, been changed with the games against Cyprus due to start at 8 p.m. local time (6 p.m Irish time) and the Andorra match in Barcelona will kick off at 6.30 p.m. local time (5.30 p.m. Irish time).

European football's governing body UEFA are to open an inquiry into the behaviour of Real Madrid stars Luis Figo and Raul during Tuesday night's Champions League match against Leeds United, UEFA said yesterday. Two goals from Raul helped defending champions Real Madrid assure themselves of the top-spot from Group D with a 3-2 win over Leeds at the Bernabeu Stadium.

"The action of Raul, who scored his team's first goal with his hand, goes against the fundamental principals of fair play," UEFA chief Gerhard Aigner said. And he added Figo was suspected of deliberately earning a yellow card three minutes before the end of the match.

Leeds skipper Lucas Radebe has been ordered to rest for the next 48 hours amid fears he may have suffered cartilage damage to his right knee. A specialist has been unable to diagnose the seriousness of the damage, with Radebe ordered to rest until Friday.