BELLAMY BANNED FROM CRUCIAL EUROPEAN TIES: Newcastle striker Craig Bellamy was handed his second three-match ban of the season by UEFA yesterday following his sending-off against Inter Milan.
The 23-year-old striker, who has already served a three-match European ban this season for head-butting Dynamo Kiev defender Tiberiu Ghioane, has been handed the sentence for the red card received following a spat with Marco Materazzi on November 27th.
Following his dismissal at St James' Park, the Wales international was automatically banned for the following Champions League match against Barcelona.
But European football's governing body yesterday confirmed he would be banned for a further two games, the away and home matches against Bayer Leverkusen on February 18th and 26th respectively, for "violent conduct".
BERT MILLICHIP: The English Football Association have paid tribute to former chairman Bert Millichip, who died yesterday aged 88. Aston Villa chairman Doug Ellis revealed he tried in vain to revive Millichip, who was at a golfing dinner when he suddenly became ill.
The Villa chief took part in trying to save the life of Millichip by massaging him but it proved to be in vain.
"I was with him at an annual dinner at Edgbaston Golf Club and he was on my table," Ellis said. "Suddenly I saw his head go down under the table and I knew something serious was wrong.
"I rushed around to him and could see he was in a lot of trouble and we tried to massage him and revive him.
"In the end we got him on the floor and pumped his chest and fortunately there was a doctor in the house who also tried to revive him, but we had little success.
"The ambulance arrived and the paramedics tried to revive him for 15 minutes but they were unable to save him."
GRAEME SOUNESS: Blackburn's Graeme Souness is facing another three-match touchline ban following his sending-off during Rovers' English League Cup win at Wigan.
Souness - pictured left arguing with fourth official Matt Messias - was given his marching orders for the third time this year.
The English FA's disciplinary committee will await the referee Andy D'Urso's report and, if necessary, study video evidence before deciding Souness's fate.
EVERTON: English Premiership high-flyers Everton are considering a move for Egypt international defender Ibrahim Said, their manager David Moyes said yesterday.
The 23-year-old, who plays for Cairo club Al Ahli, impressed during two weeks on trial at Goodison Park during the close season.
Moyes said a move for Scottish champions Celtic's Republic of Ireland midfielder Colin Healy was still a long way off.
"Colin is a player we are interested in, but I have seen reports saying we are about to pay £300,000 for his services, which is completely incorrect. I have had one conversation with his agent and that is it."
THIERRY HENRY: Johan Cruyff believes this year's European Player of the Year award should have gone to French international Thierry Henry.
The legendary Dutch international would have given the Ballon d'Or, awarded by French magazine France Football to the Arsenal player.
"He is lethal and very intelligent and appears when the team needs him," said Cruyff to Spanish radio station Cope.
The 25-year-old scored 24 goals for Arsenal last season in the Premier League and seven goals in the Champions League.
"Ronaldo had a good World Cup but he has played very few matches this season, whilst Henry has had a fabulous season," added Cruyff, who won the accolade on three occasions (1971,1973 and 1974).
YORK: English third division York City were placed in administration yesterday and warned they had only five weeks to find a backer or face closure.
The High Court in Leeds appointed administrators Jacksons Jolliffe Cork to take charge of the club, currently sixth in the lowest division.
BAYERN MUNICH: President of Bayern Munich Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said the club had found their "dream defender" after agreeing terms with Argentinian Martin Demichelis yesterday.
Demichelis agreed to join Bayern from River Plate in a $5 million deal after several weeks of negotiations.
Bayern also announced that Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz and English midfielder Owen Hargreaves, also both 21, had extended their contracts with the club by a further two years and are now tied to the four-time European champions until 2006.
DANNY MILLS: England international defender Danny Mills is awaiting a reply to his demands for a new contract from Leeds United chairman Peter Ridsdale, according to the player's adviser before deciding on where his future lies.
Neil Featherby said the ball is now in Ridsdale's court after they held talks over extending Mills's contract by five years - he has two-and-a-half years left on his current one which he signed on joining from Charlton Athletic in 1999.
