Football: Captain backed after drug-taking

MARTIN NEIL, the Berwick Rangers captain, has been given the full support of his club after his confessions of drug-taking.

The Scottish Third Division side have confirmed they will stand by their 29-year-old defender after he admitted to taking cocaine, LSD and ecstasy for the last 12 years. He has agreed to have drug counselling, probably near his Edinburgh home, and will miss the club's last three matches of the season as he begins his rehabilitation progress.

It was widely expected that Neil, who recently signed a new two-year contract, would be sacked by the club. However, in a statement authorised by the chairman, Tom Davidson, Berwick said "to a man" they were supporting the player.

"The board of Berwick Rangers must advise that Martin Neil will be given every support during a most traumatic time," it read. "To a man, management, playing staff and the board are behind Martin and will endeavour to bring him through whatever remedial progress is deemed necessary. The assistance and advice offered by the Scottish Football Association and the Scottish League will be most gratefully accepted."

Paul Smith, the Berwick manager, said: "I spoke to Martin today and he has agreed to counselling. That is the most important thing at the moment and we hope to see him back next season."

Neil's revelations will probably prompt the SFA to step up the number of random drug tests among players next season, after Neil claimed he had never been tested. Tony Higgins, secretary of the Scottish Professional Footballers' Association, said: "The SFA make an assessment at the end of every season about the number of tests that have been taken. No numbers are made public but I am certain the procedure will be stepped up.

"I am sure Neil's case is a special one, considering the number of drugs he says he has taken over the years."