Rumour Mill: Dave King | Celtic | Sir Alex

Dave King expected to fly in for Rangers talks; James Forrest reveals penalty promise to Neil Lennon; Sir Alex Ferguson reveals double England snub, plus all the rest of today’s football news and gossip

Dave King: Expected to fly into Scotland to begin Rangers talks. Picture: SNS

Dave King expected to fly to Scotland for Rangers talks

Prospective Rangers chairman Dave King is set to fly into Glasgow in the next 48 hours to discuss his involvement with the club. According to reports, the South Africa-based businessman may even make an appearance at East Fife with Ally McCoist’s side due to travel there on Saturday. King had originally planned his trip to coincide with the club’s AGM, which has now been postponed until late December. (The Sun)

Neil Lennon reveals James Forrest’s penalty promise

Celtic manager Neil Lennon has revealed that James Forrest convinced him he should take the penalty that handed Celtic victory against Ajax last night.

“He keeps telling he’s never missed a penalty so this morning we had a chat about it and we decided he’d step up and take it because obviously Kris was out,” said Lennon.

“There was a lot of gamesmanship going on with their keeper but he kept his cool. It was a big moment in the game just before half-time and set us up very nicely for the second half.” (Scotsman)

Alex Ferguson: I turned down England job twice

The prospect of becoming a hate figure in Scotland scared Sir Alex Ferguson off the idea of becoming England manager.

Ferguson reveals in his autobiography that he was approached twice by the Football Association with a view to taking over as England head coach.

Ferguson says the FA wanted him to succeed Glenn Hoddle and Kevin Keegan when they left the role in 1999 and 2000 respectively.

“There was no way I could manage England,” Ferguson said yesterday.

“Not in a million years. Think of me going back to Scotland. Dearie me.

“It was my great opportunity in life to relegate them! (Scotsman)


SEE ALSO

• Alex Ferguson: Beckham thought he was bigger than me

Hearts: Fans’ group CVA gets Ukio Bankas go-ahead

The administrators of Hearts have said that the club is ready to begin exiting administration after a major creditor gave the go-ahead.

The Tynecastle Club has been unable to escape administration while a question mark hung over the future of 50 per cent stakeholder UBIG, which itself is declared bankrupt.

But administrators BDO announced yesterday that Lithuania-based Ukio Bankas has given permission to start the process of negotiating a Company Voluntary Agreement with the club’s creditors, which will allow the fan’s rescue bid to proceed. (Scotsman)

Tom English: Celtic’s fortune was hard-earned

“Celtic did not lack fight or energy. Of course they would have been better had Scott Brown been in their team, but they were surviving admirably without him. There was no shortage of grunt in their ranks.

“They didn’t lack leadership or drive. What was missing was invention, trickery, craft. As the half meandered to what we thought was an uneventful end, the home fans might have longed for Commons or somebody like him. They are a team with a lot going for them but they need more cleverness in attack.”

Read the rest of Tom English’s column here >>