Ferdinand case may end in High Court

Rio Ferdinand is determined to ignore worldwide opinion and press ahead with his appeal against an eight-month drugs ban setting Manchester United and the Football Association on a collision course which could end in the High Court.

The 25-year-old England international left Bolton’s Reebok Stadium in a state of shock last night having been informed he will sit out the equivalent of an entire season for his failure to take a drugs test at United’s Carrington training ground on September 23.