Soccer News

The scramble for tickets for the Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park on May 29th began yesterday after the Old Firm clinched their places at the weekend. About 50,000 Rangers and Celtic supporters will be disappointed, however, as the Scottish Football Association (SFA) already know they will not be able to cope with the demand.

The newly refurbished national stadium has a 52,000 capacity - 1,000 less than the number of Celtic season ticket holders.

Rangers have 37,500 ticket holders themselves, meaning the Glasgow teams could fill Hampden Park twice over.

It is expected both clubs will be allocated about 20,000 tickets each, leaving the majority of their supporters watching the game on TV or listening to the radio.

Kevin Campbell wants to make his move to crisis club Everton permanent. The two-goal hero of Sunday's vital victory over Coventry - which took the Merseysiders out of the bottom three - is currently on loan at Goodison Park after a nightmare spell with Turkish club Trabzonspor.

And it is clear he does not want to return to Turkey following the racist slur uproar that ended with his deadline week escape back to England.

Campbell said: "If Everton were able to put a contract in front of me now, I'd sign it, no problem."

Meanwhile, Everton look likely to be without their Italian defender Marco Materazzi for the relegation battle after being sent off on Sunday.

The FA confirmed yesterday that they do not accept appeals for offences that officially merit only a onematch suspension. The Italian defender received a second yellow card for a challenge on Coventry's Darren Huckerby, who was accused on the pitch by Everton players of diving.

The problems for Materazzi are that because of his two previous dismissals this season, the automatic one-match ban for two yellow cards is likely to be increased to three, ruling him out of the nerve-shredding climax to Everton's battle against relegation against Chelsea, West Ham and Southampton.

Struggling Blackburn Rovers were yesterday dealt a stunning blow with the news that star striker Chris Sutton may not play again this season. In a statement, Rovers announced that Sutton is still suffering from the groin injury which kept him out of contention for the recent England international. Medical staff at Blackburn are optimistic that the injury will respond to treatment without surgery.

But Rovers are now resigned, with just six matches left, to fight for their Premiership lives without the England star.

Paul Merson yesterday insisted he has not demanded a place in the Aston Villa side to help him combat his off-the-field problems and admitted: "I deserved to be dropped." Merson admitted that football is his major release in battling against his drug and alcohol addiction - and he has further worries with his marriage to wife Lorraine having hit a rocky patch.

But the former Arsenal star is adamant he has not begged to play and rubbished claims that he has been sulking over being axed.

Brighton yesterday confirmed the appointment of former Fulham, Swansea and Brentford boss Micky Adams as their new manager. Adams (37), becomes the Seagulls' seventh manager in the last five years and replaces Jeff Wood who was sacked last Friday. He has signed a four-year contract.