Gordon joins Rangers in a #1.2m deal

Gordon, a dangerous, tricky player who operates wide on either wing,

cost #1.2m, and probably will make his debut against Dunfermline at East

End Park on Saturday. Capped four times by the English under-21s, Gordon

has spent all of his career at Carrow Road, where he began as an

apprentice.

He scored 20 goals in the league for the club last season, and was a

star in the team's 0-0 draw with Nottingham Forest, the highlights of

which were screened by Scottish Television yesterday.

Gordon's signing confirms the impression that Rangers manager Walter

Smith has not been entirely happy with the creative department of his

team this season. In fact, he has confirmed his disappointment with that

area of the side in recent games.

Gordon may be the ideal choice to replace another black player, Mark

Walters, who left a gap which has not been properly filled when he went

to Liverpool.

''I have known for about three or four weeks that Rangers were

interested in me as a replacement for Trevor Steven and I am delighted

that everything seems to have worked out,'' said Gordon.

''I have been linked to a number of top clubs but I don't think I

could do better than Rangers. I have played with both Chris Woods and

Kevin Drinkell, who had good times with Rangers, and I've spoken to both

of them and I'm very excited by the prospect of moving.''

Still on the transfer front, between now and Celtic's European

kick-off time at Parkhead against Neuchatel Xamax on Wednesday, there

will be much buzzing of telephone lines as Celtic and Middlesbrough try

to reach agreement on a deal which will take the English team's central

defender Tony Mowbray to Glasgow.

Lennie Lawrence, the Boro' manager, turned down Celtic's initial

#650,000 offer, but he will travel to Glasgow on Wednesday to negotiate

further.

A swap deal may be in the offing, as Lawrence apparently has been

impressed by Celtic's John Hewitt, who is at Ayresome Park on loan.

Celtic also have Martin Hayes and Andy Walker available for transfer

talk.

The complication seems to be Middlebrough's determination to sign a

replacement for Mowbray before he goes. And, ironically, the man they

are keen on is Alan McCleary of Millwall, who turned down the chance to

go to Celtic last week. One way or another, the deals should be settled

by the end of the week.

European clashes, though, still beckon, and those who yearn for the

times (if they ever existed) when football was an attacking game should

seek out the scarves, don the colours, and be prepared to have fun at

two of the country's most crucial matches of the year, both coming up in

the next two weeks.

Scotland's last hopes in Europe, Celtic, who have not been renowned

for defensive brilliance in any case, have no option but to go for broke

as they chase a 4-0 win over Neuchatel Xamax in the UEFA Cup. A week

later, the international side know that they have to clock up a large

goals' total against San Marino to have any chance of qualifying for the

European Championship finals.

However it all turns out, if you like your football spiced with

attacking excitement, Parkhead and Hampden ought to be places to visit,

especially as they might represent the last chance this season to see

football designed for uninhibited goal-chasing.

The fact that there is even a debate about Celtic's chances of pulling

back the 5-1 deficit suffered in Neuchatel is remarkable itself. No-one

who was present at that debacle in Switzerland, with the possible and

notable exception of manager Liam Brady, could have imagined for a

second that discussion of a possible reversal of that scoreline would be

entertained.

But memories are short in football, and it was always likely that the

Parkhead supporters would begin to convince themselves that the

impossible only takes their side a wee bit longer than the difficult.

But even the less committed football observers have to concede that the

form of the Parkhead team since they returned suitably chastened by the

Neuchatel experience has been impressive.

They have scored 10 goals and lost only one since then, and their

latest effort, the 1-1 draw with Rangers at Ibrox, has done nothing to

hinder the growing confidence building among the players. Saturday's

scoring hero, Tony Cascarino, who played in Neuchatel, is one who

believes that the team has a genuine chance of getting into the next

round, if only because no-one at Parkhead rates Xamax too highly.

And the young man who has established himself in midfield this season,

Brian O'Neil, is another who reckons the task is not beyond him and his

mates. ''The team has got a bit of confidence again after that first

leg, and we know we just have to go for it on Wednesday,'' said the

19-year-old who had his first sample of Old Firm football at Ibrox.

''A couple of early goals could make a big difference, but whatever

happens, it should be an interesting game for the fans. I think we can

still do it.''

If Brady already knows the team he will field against Xamax, Scotland

coach Andy Roxburgh has some worrying and thinking to do before he can

select his side for the match against San Marino on November 13. He

makes a start today by naming his squad.

Perhaps nearly as important as his selection, however, will be the

result of the meeting he, SFA chief executive Jim Farry, and president

Peter Gardiner will have with UEFA on Thursday, when they will plead

Scotland's case for a 6pm kick-off. If they fail, and the Scots have to

follow UEFA's ruling of a 2.30pm start, the momentum expected by a large

crowd at Hampden might be lost.

At any rate, Roxburgh has to try to choose a pool designed for a

greater degree of attacking football than any he has had to produce in

the past. The exercise is almost like that of a second leg in European

football, with the opposition prepared to stand defiant in their own

penalty area all night. For San Marino, losing by as few as possible is

the target in all their matches.