FA TO SUE

Last updated : 13 October 2003 By Editor

An FA source told the Sunday Mirror:

"Mark Palios will go through everything with lawyers. He is
fuming the FA are carrying the can for outing Ferdinand.

“It is certainly the most cynical manipulation we have seen
for some time — United threatened to withdraw their players
from the squad.

"We did not leak the name. We believe it was his agent — it
was on the Manchester United website 12-15 hours before we
made any statement.”

They are apparently also ready to take on Gordon Taylor of
the PFA, but he is ready for a fight:

”I am perfectly happy to stand by my comments - always have
been and always will be. If we need to go to court to seek
out the truth, that's fine by me. I can defend the rights of
my members and my right to protect them.

“I see no reason why Rio or Manchester United should release
his name. Certainly what was leaked was that he was not
going to be in the England squad.”