Changing room chat

Published on Monday 21 July 2008 23:35

Arthur film debut is on the rocks

ALEX Arthur has put his acting ambitions on hold to concentrate on his upcoming fight against Nicky Cook.

Arthur, the Edinburgh fighter, will make the first defence of his WBO world super-featherweight title at the Manchester Evening News Arena on 6 September, ruling out his film debut in Viking epic Valhalla Rising alongside acclaimed Danish actor, Mads Mikkelsen, who previously played James Bond villain Le Chiffre in Casino Royale.

"I'm disappointed that I won't be in the film, but boxing comes first and there will be further opportunities down the line," said Arthur, who has long expressed an interest in becoming a film star. "I'll just have to leave all the Viking warrior stuff to the fight itself.

"I was due to film my part in the coming weeks, but I just couldn't fit it around training for this fight. I remember a few years ago, Lennox Lewis filmed Ocean's 11 instead of preparing for his fight with Hasim Rahman in South Africa, and got knocked out in a massive upset."

Arthur, 30, had been cast in Valhalla Rising through his cousin, Jamie Sives, who also appears in the film.

Alloa has a hold on Stevenson

FORGET La Liga. Jamie Stevenson, who won a dream move to Real Mallorca five years ago after being spotted playing on the Spanish island while on holiday, seems to have a thing about Alloa, after returning there for a third spell.

Stevenson left Recreation Park for a three-year deal with the Spaniards, but returned to Alloa within 18 months due to homesickness.

He then moved to Morton but, despite a successful spell at Cappielow, he has been allowed to again return to Recreation Park on a six-month loan.

Online Jags hit by virus threat

RELIEF for Partick Thistle fans, who have been assured it is safe to watch their heroes on the internet as another First Division campaign beckons.

Thistle had to move quickly to assure fans accessing the video highlights package on their website that they had not received a computer virus as a result. Users received a message advising that a Trojan Horse virus was being downloaded when trying to watch match action. But Thistle have advised that the hacker's message has been removed and they have taken action to avoid a repetition.

TALES FROM THE TABS

LOVEN ON A PRAYER

FORMER Rangers winger Peter Lovenkrands "opened his heart" in the Daily Record yesterday and revealed that he would jump at the chance of a return to Ibrox.

Currently plying his trade in the German Bundesliga with Schalke – who beat Rangers 1-0 in a pre-season friendly over the weekend – Lovenkrands is not ruling out a move back to the SPL. "I would have loved to come back to Rangers," said the Dane. "There was a bit of contact, but not enough apparently.

"Would I still go to Rangers? It's difficult for me to comment on, but you can probably tell from the look on my face that I would."

The Daily Express, meanwhile, reported that former Scotland striker Stevie Crawford is being courted by two SPL clubs following his release from Dunfermline. The 34-year-old is training with Raith Rovers, but fancies a return to the top flight.

And, as well as updating us on Cristiano Ronaldo's womanising in LA, the Daily Mirror claimed Hull hero and former Don Dean Windass is a target for Leeds United.