Fergie in the dark

MANCHESTER UNITED manager Alex Ferguson believes he is being kept in the dark by the FA over Rio Ferdinand’s appeal against an eight-month ban for missing a drugs test.

Ferguson said he has heard no news from the FA on when the appeal from the Manchester United and England defender, who has already spent two months on the sidelines, will be heard.

“I don’t know when the appeal is, but we are almost in March now,” Ferguson said.

“By the time he gets to the hearing he will certainly have been suspended for two months without an appeal, but that was our decision. I have heard nothing yet but it is bound to be March.”

Ferdinand was handed the ban on December 19 after an independent commission found him guilty of missing a random drugs test last September.

A month later Ferdinand lodged his appeal shortly before beginning his suspension. Under FA rules the England defender could have continued playing until the appeal was heard, but two days after playing in the Premiership game at Wolves on January 17 he opted to begin his suspension.

So far Ferdinand has missed six league and cup games as well as England’s match in Portugal.