England mutiny ended by Ferdinand

THE England squad last night stepped back from the brink of strike action ahead of Saturday’s Euro 2004 qualifier against Turkey – but only after stinging criticism of the Football Association.

The players issued a statement in which they accused the FA of letting down both them and Sven-Goran Eriksson, with their treatment of Rio Ferdinand after his failure to take a drugs test on time.

They insisted there had never been any serious question over their participation in the final group game, even though they voted unanimously in favour of a threat to boycott the game if Ferdinand was not recalled.