Scotland handed major Old Firm bonus

ALEX McLEISH has been granted his wish after the Scottish Premier League agreed to postpone the matches involving Rangers and Celtic on the weekend before the crunch Euro 2008 qualifier against Italy.

The SPL have called off Celtic’s home match against Falkirk on November 10, and Rangers’ fixture at St Mirren on November 11, and both games will be rearranged for future dates.

Scotland manager McLeish had called for both clubs, from which he draws a significant number of his squad and first-choice line-up, to be given a free weekend.