Glentoran insist they will stand by the player who failed a random drugs test and faces a three-month ban. It is believed that the player is Northern Ireland international Rory Hamill.
The positive test came after a UEFA Cup game earlier this season and Glentoran have confirmed that it was a "recreational drug", believed to be cannabis.
Hamill was already on the transfer list at Glentoran - and was at a point linked to a move to Bohemians - but the east Belfast club claim they will not boot him out.
Glentoran's chief executive Stafford Reynolds said: "Yes, a player has failed a test. We have spoken to the player and to the manager and we're standing by him."
Hamill will know his fate tomorrow when UEFA's Control and Disciplinary body meets to decide on his punishment. Hamill was one of two players tested after Glentoran's UEFA Cup qualifying round second leg match with Lillestrom in Norway in August. Glentoran lost 1-0 to complete a 4-0 aggregate defeat.
Hamill, who started his career at Southampton and had a spell at Fulham, won his only Northern Ireland cap as a substitute in a friendly match against Canada at Windsor Park in April 1999.
Manchester United will play Derry City at the Brandywell next month, guaranteeing the northern club another financial windfall in its bid to sort out the current financial crisis. SDLP leader John Hume made contact with United boss Alex Ferguson to set up the match.
News of the friendly, confirmed for Monday, November 13th, comes just 48 hours after the departure of Martin O'Neill's Glasgow Celtic, who played in front of a capacity attendance of 9,000 on Monday night.
Former Argentina international striker Claudio Caniggia signed for Scottish Premier League side Dundee yesterday and immediately vowed to boost the club's position in the table.
The 33-year-old forward, a member of the side captained by Diego Maradona which lost the 1990 World Cup final to Germany in Rome, has signed for the Dens Park club until the end of the season and is expected to make his debut against Aberdeen next week.
Sammy McIlroy's injury problems are mounting ahead of Northern Ireland's World Cup qualifier with Denmark after Damien Johnson became the second player to pull out injured. The Blackburn winger has failed to recover from a groin injury and joins Bradford right-back Ian Nolan on the sidelines.
McIlroy has drafted in Manchester City midfielder and under-21 captain Jeff Whitley as a replacement.
McIlroy had already been forced to leave out Keith Gillespie, who is still building up his match fitness after injury.
Cork City manager Derek Mountfield has signed 30-year-old midfielder Steve Gaughan from Halifax Town. The Englishman is expected to go straight into the squad for this weekend's game against UCD.
