Gillespie's opportunity

Keith Gillespie, out in the cold at St James' Park at the moment, will be anxious to prove a point to the Newcastle manager, Kevin Keegan, when Northern Ireland take on Norway tonight in Belfast.

The former Manchester United winger, however, makes no fuss in public about being out of favour at club level. "I just hope there is a decent crowd at Windsor Park to cheer us on," he said. "It was great last time and we put in a really good performance. I just hope we can do the same this time."

The Northern Ireland manager, Bryan Hamilton, has no doubts about Gillespie: "He's fit so he's in from the start," he said.

Sunderland's Phil Gray is missing from the attack, so Spurs reserve Gerard McMahon stands by to win his fifth cap, alongside West Ham's Iain Dowie.

NORTHERN IRELAND (probable, v Norway, Belfast, tonight): Fettis (Nottingham Forest); Lomas (Man City), McDonald (QPR), Hill (Leicester City), Worthington (Leeds United); Gillespie (Newcastle United), Lennon (Leicester City), O'Neill (Hibs), Hughes (West Ham); McMahon (Spurs), Dowie (West Ham).