NORWICH suffered a stunning 4-0 home defeat at the hands of npower League One leaders MK Dons as the three newly-promoted Premier League clubs exited the Carling Cup at the second-round stage last night.

The most recent Scottish Cup finalists will meet again in the fourth round of this season’s competition after Dundee United were handed a home clash against Ross County.

Scotland’s leading referees are set to confirm a weekend of industrial action after deciding to take a stand against increasingly dangerous levels of abuse.

A number of players and staff at Dundee are expected to lose their jobs in the next 24 hours after the club were officially put into administration today.

Rangers begin their Co-operative Insurance Cup defence with a third-round home tie against Irn-Bru First Division side Dunfermline.

The cold snap continued to bite in the UK this afternoon as a raft of sporting fixtures fell prey to the sub-zero conditions sweeping the country.

Falkirk 0 Celtic 4

The Scottish Football Association will meet with Rangers and Falkirk at Hampden on Tuesday, May 5 for initial discussions about their Homecoming Scottish Cup final ticket allocations.

IRISH international Aiden McGeady is struggling with a knee injury which could make him a doubt for the Republic of Ireland’s vital World Cup qualifying clashes against Georgia and Bulgaria early next year.

Manchester City and Aston Villa were handed seemingly straightforward draws in the UEFA Cup second qualifying round today.

Scotland’s clubs will receive an extra place in the UEFA Cup in 2009/10, it has been revealed.

Manchester City are likely to make a decision by the end of this week over their UEFA Cup qualifying round venue.

Kenny Miller would be a “deeply unpopular” signing among the Rangers support, according to fans’ spokesman David Edgar.

Rangers skipper Barry Ferguson will not require an operation on his troublesome ankle injury, according to manager Walter Smith.

Queen of South 2 Rangers 3

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has refused to accept his side are now favourites to retain their Clydesdale Scottish League title after Rangers were held to a 1-1 draw at Motherwell.

The Scottish Premier League have ruled out extending the SPL season beyond May 22 - and the Scottish Cup final will also go ahead as scheduled on May 24.

The Scottish Premier League insist they will have no choice but to extend the season if Rangers reach the UEFA Cup final.

Rangers striker Steven Naismith has been warned he may not play again this season after a medical specialist assessed the state of his knee injury.

The Clydesdale Bank Premier League season will be extended by four days to May 22 if Rangers reach the UEFA Cup final.

Partick 0 Rangers 2

Queen of the South 4 Aberdeen 3

Aberdeen hero Darren Mackie is determined to reach the Scottish Cup final in May to appease the fans who were left flat after the CIS Insurance Cup semi-final capitulation to Dundee United.

Celtic 0 Aberdeen 1

GORDON STRACHAN insisted a Scottish Cup quarter-final replay against Aberdeen was the only fair conclusion to their clash with the Dons after Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink grabbed a dramatic injury-time equaliser at Pittodrie.

Aberdeen 1 Celtic 1

GARY CALDWELL has credited Celtic’s new signings as the inspiration behind the team’s strongest performance in months, even though most of them failed to even kick a ball.

Celtic have been handed a tough draw at Aberdeen in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup.

Rangers pair Thomas Buffel and Ugo Ehiogu have made their comebacks from injury in a behind-closed-doors match against Queen of the South.

Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock is turning his attention elsewhere after being rebuffed in a move for Preston’s David Nugent.

Blackburn defender Lucas Neill remains intent on leaving Ewood Park.

Hamilton manager Billy Reid has confirmed that Liverpool have made an offer for 16-year-old Jamie McCarthy.

IAN DURRANT watched Rangers crash out of the Tennent’s Scottish Cup to Dunfermline, then told furious fans: “I’m sorry”.

Scotland Under-21 player Craig Samson was arrested after members of the team broke a curfew to go to a nightclub, it emerged today.

Bad weather caused the postponement of two matches in the English First Division today.

Scottish football today united to mourn the death of former Scotland manager Ally McLeod, who died this morning.

The day’s programme of games in the UK has been decimated by heavy rain.

Hearts 0 Celtic 1

Airdrie United and St Johnstone have been handed a massive financial incentive ahead of their Scottish Cup third round replay on February 4.

Aberdeen have confirmed that defender Jamie McAllister has not broken his neck as had first been feared during the game against Celtic.