SoccerDigest

Northern Ireland manager Sammy McIlroy got a boost yesterday when Keith Gillespie linked up with the squad at their London base.

The Leicester winger's fitness was in doubt because of an ankle injury sustained in the game against Armenia last month. However, he suffered no reaction after playing the final 13 minutes on Saturday at Fulham.

It was just the news McIlroy wanted, with three midfielders already ruled out of the game against Greece in Athens on Saturday. Damien Johnson is suspended, while Phil Mulryne and Tommy Doherty are injured.

Scots lose another

Scotland have added Don Hutchison to their squad for Saturday's final Euro 2004 qualifier with Lithuania after winger Paul Devlin became the latest injured player to drop out.

A hamstring injury forced the withdrawal yesterday of Devlin, who joins Paul Dickov, Neil McCann and Andy Gray on the sidelines for a Hampden Park match Scotland must win to keep alive hopes of a play-off place.

Scotland are third in Group Five on 11 points, two fewer than Iceland (13) who travel to group leaders Germany (15) in their final game on Saturday.

Sol survivor

Arsenal defender Sol Campbell has been fined £20,000, but not suspended, after he kicked an opponent during the Community Shield match against Manchester United in August.

Campbell was charged with violent behaviour after he retaliated to a high tackle by United's Cameroon international midfielder Eric Djemba-Djemba during the season-opening match at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on August 10th.

Fan killed in Spain

Spanish soccer is in shock after an upsurge in crowd violence left one supporter dead and forced a second match to be abandoned.

A 31-year-old Deportivo Coruna fan and father of two, Manuel Rios Suarez, died as a result of injuries sustained in violence after his side's 1-0 King's Cup victory at Santiago Compostela on Tuesday evening.

In a later tie at Castellon, referee Jesus Tellez Sanchez suspended his match when he was hit on the head by a mobile phone battery thrown from the crowd after he had awarded a penalty to visiting side Valencia.

The two incidents came just days after television pictures showed a man attempting to stab rival fans at the fourth division match between Langreo and Real Oviedo.

Liverpool plans

Liverpool hope the club's application for planning permission to build a new ground will end talk of them sharing a stadium with neighbours Everton.

Liverpool presented plans for a 60,000-seater stadium on Stanley Park to the local council's planning department yesterday, with the ground expected to be open in 2006. The city council had hoped to persuade Liverpool to share a new stadium with Everton by offering £30 million in grants.

Redknapp banned

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has been handed a two-match touchline ban and £3,000 fine for improper conduct.

Redknapp was handed the suspension, due to start on October 27th, for insulting the referee during Portsmouth's 0-0 draw away to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the premier league on August 30th.

Miller talks long-term

Celtic striker Liam Miller will wait for his chance to sign a new contract with the club after a momentous week in his career.

The Ireland Under-21 international has leapt into the limelight after scoring in the Champions League win over Lyon and playing from the start of the Old Firm win at Ibrox.

However, the 22-year-old's current deal will end next year and he is now looking for a chance to extend his stay at Parkhead. "I am not guaranteed a thing, I know that," Miller said. "I'll keep putting in the hard work and I'll see what happens."

Leeds star released

Jody Morris and another man arrested in connection with a serious sexual assault were last night released on police bail pending further inquiries.

Morris (24) was arrested on Tuesday at Leeds United's Thorp Arch training ground and was held overnight by police investigating allegations of a serious sexual assault on a 20-year-old woman in Leeds. The other man, who is not believed to be a footballer, was arrested in connection with the same allegations.

Last night, a West Yorkshire Police spokeswoman confirmed both men had been released pending further forensic and other investigations and said the inquiry was continuing.

Meanwhile, a party organiser arrested over accusations by a 17-year-old girl that she was gang-raped by a group of Premiership players in London was last night granted bail.

Nicholas Meikle (29) went voluntarily to a police station yesterday where he was quizzed by detectives investigating the alleged attack.

Pele's worth 7,000!

Andrew Roche (8) and Robbie Murphy (8) from Terenure queued up with men old enough to be their great grandfathers in Dublin last night to get an autograph from the one and only Pele, in town to promote The Pele Collection, a series of photographs of the Brazilian legend, writes Mary Hannigan.

Who's your favourite player? "Beckham," says Andrew. "Beckham," says Robbie.

If Pele was the same age as David Beckham, how much would he be worth on today's transfer market? Andrew and Robbie agonised over the question. Furrowed brows.

"That's a tough one," said Robbie. "About two grand," declared Andrew. "Naaaa," scoffed Robbie, "I'd say seven grand". That much? "Ah yeah - he was a good player."

In brief. . .

Newcastle United have reported a profit of £4.29 million for the year to July 31st against a £3.07 million loss last year . . . Celtic's John Hartson has finally been awarded his 50th strike for the Hoops, after Rangers' Zura Khizanishvili was originally credited with an own goal at Ibrox at the weekend . . . Bryan Robson has been confirmed as Nigeria manager for next year's African Nations Cup after agreeing a six-month contract.