Alex Ferguson has called for the introduction of a winter break in the football season.

The Manchester United manager says he has supported the possibility of a mid-season break in the domestic calendar for many years.

A number of managers, including former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson, have lobbied for a break but it has been vetoed as the number of clubs in the Premiership would be reduced and the FA Cup would also be affected.

Ferguson said: "I've always been a supporter. It makes me laugh when managers come out and talk about winter breaks - I championed it when I was manager of Aberdeen in 1980 and I did again when I
first came down here in 1986.

"And there's still nothing done, it's ridiculous. We had international friendlies at the beginning of June so why can't we play the season until the end of May? The players need to keep going anyway for these internationals.

"The Christmas programme is great in this country, we get great crowds then but why not start a three-week ban on January 1 and use the whole of May when the weather is better?"

Blackburn are to make Australian defender Lucas Neill an improved contract offer in an attempt to keep him at the club.

Neill's current deal expires at the end of the season and he has already turned down one contract offer from Rovers.

Blackburn rejected a bid by Liverpool for the 28-year-old last week and will now try and persuade Neill to agree to a new deal otherwise the defender will be able to leave on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Neill can play at either right-back or left-back but after five years at Rovers, whom he joined from Millwall in 2001, it is thought he has had his eyes on a move to the continent.  PA