BOBBY CHARLTON yesterday led the tributes at the funeral of fellow “Busby Babe” and Manchester United legend Albert Scanlon.

PATRICK VIEIRA has wasted little time in antagonising the red half of Manchester following his move to Manchester City after claiming champions United are ‘on the wane’ and can be caught by their local rivals.

GARETH BARRY believes new England coach Fabio Capello could become a regular visitor to Aston Villa given the depth of young homegrown talent at the midlands club.

NORTHERN Ireland’s football authorities have once again questioned Darron Gibson’s right to play for the Republic of Ireland, despite the fact that the Derry-born Manchester United midfielder made his senior debut for Steve Staunton’s team in Denmark last week.

ALEX FERGUSON believes this is his best ever Manchester United squad, but the class of 2007 are facing some stiff competition.

BLACKBURN have withdrawn Steven Reid from the Republic of Ireland squad after the midfielder was surprisingly recalled this week.

RIO FERDINAND has claimed Manchester United would have accepted their present Premier League position if they had been offered it at the start of the campaign — but it has still been a horrible Christmas for the England star.

STEVEN GERRARD has challenged motor-mouth AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso to “‘stop me if you can”.

THE FAI may insist they are not rushing to appoint Brian Kerr’s successor but punters have been racing to the bookies in the wake of his departure as Ireland boss.

PROFITS at the world's richest soccer company Manchester United dropped by 34% last year as the company spent heavily on new players.

IT’LL be fascinating to see the line-ups representing Liverpool and Manchester United in this week’s Carling Cup semi-finals.

IAN HARTE will be suspended for three first-team matches after being sent off for violent conduct in a reserves match.

GAA fans who wear their county colours are paying on the double.

MALCOLM GLAZER has increased his stake in Manchester United to 27.63%.

MANCHESTER UNITED defender Gary Neville has taken the unprecedented step of rejecting a testimonial to mark his 10 years at the club.

THE British government believes the Office of Fair Trading will wish to consider whether the takeover of Manchester United by Malcolm Glazer raises any competition concerns, it emerged yesterday.

IN RECENT times, two members of a well-known British boy band were brought before an Irish court to answer charges of bad behaviour and the use of bad language.

REAL MADRID coach Carlos Queiroz says his new club now have more global kudos than Manchester United, where last season he served as number two to Alex Ferguson.

POLICE were yesterday continuing their investigation into a racist attack on footballer Roy Keane after vandals set off industrial fireworks outside his home in Britain.