The magnificent extra-time strike which consigned the holders Rangers to a Coca-Cola Cup quarter-final home defeat was not McSwegan’s first at Ibrox.
The 26-year-old forward began his career at Rangers in 1987, but made faltering progress at the club as he struggled to fulfil his potential.With reluctance he came south of the border in 1993 to join Notts County, before last year’s Tayside switch to United.After coming on as a substitute, McSwegan at last showed Rangers fans his true qualities, albeit silencing them in the process.To call McSwegan’s 96th-minute winner a volley of abuse would be overstating it, as his affection for Rangers remains. After it was obvious we couldn’t qualify for the European quarter-finals following the defeat in Iceland, I made a few changes to give all the squad a run.”But it was still a good performance, and it was just two lapses in five minutes after we had gone in front. Even then we should have been given a penalty when Dominic Foley was fouled, but we’re used to decisions like that away from home.”. Even had it not been a perfectly struck volley into the top corner, Gary McSwegan may well have rated the goal which defeated Rangers last night as his favourite ever. He said: “The Lithuanian’s boot went right through my shin pad, and my leg was cut to the bone.

I guess I am very lucky it isn’t broken.”The Under-21 manager Ian Evans also saw his side slip to another defeat in Alytus – 2-1 this time – after taking a 65th-minute lead with a superb goal by the Tottenham winger Peter Gain, who was also making his debut.Evans said: “I felt sorry for them They deserved better. They returned home last night already counting the bruises from last Friday’s 1-0 defeat in Reykjavik which the senior team manager, Mick McCarthy, said “could have produced 10 red cards”.
Now the defender Thomas Morgan, who captained the Irish Youth team in the semi-finals of the World Championships in Malaysia in July, has had four stitches in two deep gashes below his left knee. It is the legacy of a tackle by Lithuania’s forward Mantas Samusiovas, who was only booked.The St Patrick’s Athletic player’s first start at the higher age level lasted just 10 minutes before he was carried off on a stretcher. The Republic of Ireland’s battered Under-21 squad have collected another unwanted souvenir from their exhausting European Championship double-header through two time zones via Iceland and Lithuania. The discussion covered the movement of players, fixtures and agents. We have agreed to meet again and continue to exchange useful information.”While there are a few doubts that there is a degree of contention between the leading European leagues and Uefa Leaver added, diplomatically: “Our discussions are not a challenge to or in competition with Uefa – our aim is to ensure a better exchange and dialogue between the top professional leagues in Europe.”. This is not a meeting where we will be making big decisions – it’s more of a get-together.”Whether or not the issue of a super league was brought up during the meeting the official line from Leaver made no mention of the topic.The Premier League chief executive said: “We have had a very useful and constructive meeting today.

We want to look at the world after Bosman and the pressures of heavy fixture lists and to see if a dialogue between the top leagues will be useful and worthwhile. “People have different issues they want to discuss, which are not on the agenda.”A European super league, which would probably run throughout the season, would almost certainly threaten Uefa’s money-spinning Champions’ League.It would see England’s top clubs – such as Manchester United, Liverpool, Newcastle and Arsenal – involved in a season-long contest against the likes of Juventus, Milan, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Ajax, Paris St-Germain and Porto.Significantly the clubs, and not Uefa, would own the highly lucrative broadcasting rights to the new league.Uefa admitted it was aware of the meeting but it refused to comment further until it knew the details of what was discussed.Lee denied that the purpose of the meeting was to form a super league – the two main items for discussion were fixture lists and the Bosman ruling.”The premier leagues in Europe have come together for the first time to compare notes,” he said “The idea that a super league is being formed is nonsense. “He [Carraro] has been on the record in the Italian press saying that he thinks the Super League would be a good idea. But that’s matter for him,” Mike Lee, the Premier League spokesman, said. Some of the leading lights in European football met in London yesterday with the formation of a European super league thought to have come up for discussion. Representatives of the continent’s leading leagues had accepted an invitation from the Premier League to a private meeting just yards from the Football Association’s Lancaster Gate headquarters.
Officials from the Italian, German, Spanish, French, Belgium, Portuguese and Dutch leagues were among those who accepted the Premier League chief executive Peter Leaver’s invitation.It is known that the leading leagues feel they have been isolated by what they perceive as the “dictatorial” policy-making procedures of Uefa, the European game’s governing body, which have sidelined them from any real input.Franco Carraro, who is in charge of Serie A, was at the meeting, and he is a keen advocate of a European league. The 36-year-old was cleared to play again when a judge decided to make sure that the urine sample which provided the positive test really came from Maradona..

The striker, out of England’s World Cup qualifying match with a rib injury, said yesterday he may even play in Saturday’s game against West Ham.Wolves’ multi-millionaire owner, Sir Jack Hayward, has carried out his threat to take a more hands-on role at the club by taking over as chairman from his son, Jonathan.Sir Jack appeared to criticise both his son and the manager Mark McGhee at the end of last season, when he referred to “a sloppily-run club” and the actions that went on between chairman and manager to persuade him to splash out yet more money.Diego Maradona yesterday declared his intention to play for Boca Juniors in Sunday’s Argentinian League match against Newell’s Old Boys after having his temporary drugs ban lifted. Representatives had accepted an invitation from the Premier League to a private meeting just yards from the Football Association’s Lancaster Gate headquarters.
Officials from the Italian, German, Spanish, French, Belgian, Portuguese and Dutch Leagues were among those who accepted the Premier League chief executive Peter Leaver’s invitation.It is known the leading Leagues feel they have been isolated by what they perceive as the “dictatorial” procedures of Uefa, the European game’s governing body, which have sidelined them from any real input.Robbie Fowler has suffered a setback in his recovery from a knee injury after a knock on it in training, but Liverpool have been lifted by news that Jamie Redknapp’s comeback from a broken ankle is ahead of schedule.Teddy Sheringham is hoping to play in Manchester United’s Champions’ League game next week. Substitutes: McMahon (Stoke) for Quinn, 76; Mulryne (Manchester Utd) for Rowland, h-t; Sonner (Ipswich) for Lennon, 83.Referee: R Philippi (Luxembourg).. Some of the leading lights in European football met in London yesterday with the formation of a European super league thought to have come up for discussion. Her warm style contrasts with the noblesse oblige overtones of English royalty, allowing an easier humorous dialogue with, for example, young single mothers in bleak inner-city Dublin community groups than any Windsor could manage.After she signs off the job at 1pm tomorrow, Mrs Robinson’s functions under constitutional provision will be carried out until her successor takes office in early November by a presidential commission of three officials, the Ceann Comhairle (Speaker) of the Dail, his counterpart, the Cathaoirleach of the Senate, and the President of the High Court, advised when necessary by a Council of State. That this troika can oversee the operation of law, government and international relations without a murmur of public alarm begs the question do we really need a head of state at all.The answer was delivered powerfully by the departing head of state herself. Substitutes: Gallo (Tirana) for Haxhi, 65; Halili (Kastrioti Kruja) for Peco, 65.NORTHERN IRELAND: Wright (Manchester City); Hill (Trelleborg), Griffin (St Johnstone), McGibbon (Wigan), Gillespie (Newcastle), Rowland (West Ham), Horlock (Manchester City), Lomas (West Ham), Lennon (Leicester), Quinn (Blackpool), Dowie (West Ham).