DAVID Beckham would not rank among the top 1,000 players of the last 40 years, former England winger Chris Waddle said yesterday in comments at odds with glowing tributes to the retiring midfielder.

Atletico Madrid beat city rivals Real Madrid for the first time in 14 years last night to win the Copa del Rey at the Bernabeu.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle manager Terry Butcher believes their season will be classed as a major success even if they do not qualify for the Europa League.

On THE final day of last season, Arsenal narrowly held off fierce rivals Tottenham to claim third place in the Premier League – which proved more important than either team knew at the time.

TALENTED Dundee United youngster Stuart Armstrong was stunned to be named Scottish Football Writers’ Young Player of the Year – but has vowed to become an even bigger success next season.

Peterhead’s players will prepare for their “winner takes all” Second Division play-off meeting with East Fife at Balmoor tomorrow by watching the “winner takes all” Highland League title decider between Formartine and Cove Rangers at North Lodge Park.

Dundee manager John Brown maintains there is no chance his side will down tools in today’s Clydesdale Bank Premier League match away to Hibernian.

Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels is confident of signing freed Carlisle defender Peter Murphy. The 32-year-old is leaving Brunton Park after 12 years and Shiels is close to a deal.

DUNDEE United manager Jim McLean argued at the weekend that his club’s “miracle” success in winning their first-ever League championship in 79 years was good for the game in Scotland because “it should spur other clubs to be more ambitious”.

AS SIR Alex Ferguson prepared to end his magnificent managerial career he cast his mind back 39 years to the start – at East Stirlingshire, with eight players and no goalkeeper.

Stuart McCall insists he has no desire to quit Motherwell after being linked with the Sheffield United job.

First team coach Neil McCann insists Dunfermline’s bid to turn the play-off final around has been bolstered by suggestions that they have already been relegated.

THE curtain comes down on a fairly forgettable Barclays Premier League season, with the winners and two relegation spots confirmed in late April.

Sorely-tried Rangers fans in the past couple of years will surely have formed an understanding of the anguish with which the American writer, Dorothy Parker, would react to the chiming of the doorbell or the shrill of the telephone in her New York hotel room: “What fresh hell is this?”.

AS HE watched Chelsea defeat Benfica in the Europa League final from the comfort of his living room on Wednesday night, Neil Lennon had cause to reflect on what might have been and also to ponder on what could yet be for Celtic in continental competition.

CELTIC manager Neil Lennon will use the final SPL match of the season at Tannadice tomorrow to assess his Scottish Cup final midfield options.

With his desperation to play every minute of every game, Keith Wright understands where Leigh Griffiths is coming from, because he had the same unquenchable thirst. However, Wright also looked on at first hand as injury wrecked the cup final dreams of another young striker.

ABERDEEN striker Niall McGinn has signed a two-year contract extension that ties him to Pittodrie until summer 2016.

With a return to England looking likely, Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho can go out a winner when his team meet city 
rivals Atletico Madrid tonight in the Copa del Rey final.

CHELSEA will underline their desire to win yet more silverware next season by going on a £100million summer spending spree, according to outgoing manager Rafael Benitez.