SOCCER:ALEX FERGUSON has reacted to the sacking of his son Darren by Preston North End by recalling two of the Manchester United players who had been on loan at the club and starting a potential legal battle to make sure a third cannot play for them again.
Preston chairman Maurice Lindsay praised Ferguson Jr for the “very dignified” manner in which he had accepted the news, but the United manager has reacted swiftly.
Ferguson has recalled the defender Ritchie de Laet and the striker Joshua King and has also made it clear he wants the England under-20 midfielder Matty James to return to Old Trafford. The deals for De Laet and King were not due to expire until after the Bank Holiday double-header with Derby County and Crystal Palace.
“This has come as a shock to us and a bit of a blow,” Lindsay, said. “Ritchie de Laet and Joshua King won’t be available for Saturday’s game (against Derby) because we got a message from Manchester United this morning to inform us that they had been summoned back immediately and, under the terms of the agreement, they can do that.
“It’s a big blow for us. These are two players, young and enthusiastic, who seemed to be enjoying it at Preston, so to be told by their parent club that they can’t play for us again really is sad indeed.”
Darren Ferguson had won only 13 out of 49 games, but his father is friends with Preston’s majority shareholder, Trevor Hemmings, through their love of horse racing, and is said by insiders at Old Trafford to be furious about the sacking.
De Laet, King and James have all told Preston they would rather stay, but Ferguson has ordered them back despite being aware that Preston’s very future is at risk if they are relegated.
Tomorrow
Birmingham City v Arsenal 5.30pm
Liverpool v Bolton Wanderers 3pm
Manchester City v Blackpool 3pm
Stoke City v Everton 3pm
Sunderland v Blackburn Rovers 3pm
Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham 3pm
West Brom v Manchester Utd 12.45pm
West Ham Utd v Wolverhampton 3pm
Sunday
Chelsea v Aston Villa 1.30pm
Wigan Athletic v Newcastle Utd 4pm
Tuesday
Blackpool v Birmingham City 8pm
Fulham v West Brom 8pm
Manchester Utd v Stoke City 8pm
Wednesday
Arsenal v Manchester City 7.45pm
Aston Villa v Sunderland 7.45pm
Blackburn Rovers v Liverpool 8pm
Bolton Wanderers v Wigan Athletic 8pm
Everton v Tottenham Hotspur 8pm
Newcastle Utd v West Ham Utd 7.45pm
Wolverhampton v Chelsea 7.45pm
