Gascoigne should be fit for Colombians

Football

BY ANDREW MARTIN

Paul Gascoigne will miss Rangers' Premier Division match against Kilmarnock tomorrow, but the pounds 4.3m summer signing should be fit for England's friendly against Colombia on 6 September.

Gascoigne limped out of Wednesday's European Cup preliminary round tie against Anorthosis Famagusta in Cyprus with a groin strain. Rangers drew 0-0 for a 1-0 aggregate win which saw them progress to the Champions' League. They go into today's draw in Switzerland knowing that their victory over the Cypriots will generate between pounds 5m and pounds 10m in revenue.

The Ibrox club will face two from the eight main seeds - Ajax, Real Madrid, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund, Nantes; Blackburn, Porto, and Spartak Moscow - and one team from the seven other qualifiers: Panathinaikos, Grasshopper Zurich, Legia Warsaw, Steaua Bucharest, Rosenborg Trondheim, Ferencvaros and Dynamo Kiev.

Ron Atkinson is set to re-sign Nii Lamptey, the Ghanaian international forward, having agreed a pounds 450,000 fee with Anderlecht for the player he first recruited on extended loan for Aston Villa 13 months ago.

Eric Cantona, whose nine-month ban ends on 30 September, has agreed to play in a testimonial match for the Swansea assistant manager, Bobby Smith, at the Vetch Field on 9 October. The Manchester United manager, Alex Ferguson, has sanctioned Cantona's appearance, as it allows the Frenchman to build match fitness following the long lay-off which resulted from Cantona's attack on a Crystal Palace supporter.

Peter Shirtliff, the Wolves centre-back, last night joined Barnsley for pounds 125,000, becoming Danny Wilson's first buy in a year as manager of the Yorkshire club. Wolves have signed Dominic Foley, a 19-year-old striker, from the Irish club St James' Gate for a nominal fee.

Heart of Midlothian have signed the 33-year-old Airdrie striker, Alan Lawrence, also for a nominal fee.

Liverpool begin their defence of the Coca-Cola Cup on 18 September against Sunderland, while the FA Cup holders, Everton, are drawn against the First Division leaders, Millwall. Last year's beaten finalists, Bolton, now of the Premiership, will face Brentford, of the Second Division.

Coca-Cola Cup draw, Sporting Digest, page 23