Mail on Sunday

Melling Remembered As Charity Cash Grows ; the Word

Supersub Saha Ruins Keane's Big Day to Ease the Nerves ; Fans' Favourite Returns to Old Trafford but Mentor Ferguson Steals

MAN UNITED Saha (72) SUNDERLAND WHEN Roy Keane first went to Old Trafford to meet Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager offered him a game of snooker.

Mandaric Axe Falls On Life-Saver Doyle ; the Word

IF there was a prize for bad timing, Milan Mandaric would win it hands down. When the Leicester City chairman swung the axe last Wednesday, not only did it strike manager Martin Allen and first-team coach Adrian Whitbread, it also fell on sports scientist Damien Doyle ... the man who, less than 24 hours earlier, had helped save the life of Clive Clarke.

After a Battle Simply to Stay Alive, Life Is so Good Now for Papac

THE purge was merciless and Sasa Papac feared he was on the way out. Yet, as the transfer window clicked shut on Friday night, the Bosnian was the only Paul le Guen signing to remain on the staff at Rangers. Le Guen lasted just six grim months at Ibrox and successor Walter Smith acted decisively to sweep away the legacy of the shortest managerial reign in the club's history.

Comolli Scalps No Help to Jol ; the Word

IF there's anything likely to raise a chortle at Arsenal, it's the rise at Tottenham of their former European scout Damien Comolli (left), now Spurs 'sporting director. The Frenchman concedes that his playing career and coaching credentials are minimal, but it is his so-called scouting 'triumphs' that bring the biggest guffaw at his former club, with claims he was instrumental in Arsenal signing Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Robin van Persie, Pascal Cygan and Emmanuel Eboue.

Lehmann Tried for Return to His Homeland After Losing Lead Role

JENS LEHMANN tried to make a deadline-day return to Germany after losing his status as Arsenal's No 1 goalkeeper to Manuel Almunia. One of Lehman's old clubs, Schalke, were keen on bringing him home but time ran out for the deal to be agreed and for Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to sign a replacement. Although his absence from the team to face Portsmouth today is officially explained by injury, Lehman, 37, is resigned to having lost his starting role following embarrassing mistakes in Arsenal...

Last-Gasp Lescott Steals the Points As Bolton Miss Out

BOLTON 1 EVERTON 2 Anelka (55) Yakubu (11), Lescott (90) JOLEON LESCOTT'S last-gasp header provided a suitably dramatic conclusion to a thrilling tussle at the Reebok Stadium and the entertainment value was unrecognisably high compared to previous seasons.

Schmeichel Triples His City Wages

KASPER Schmeichel will be rewarded for his early-season form with a new three-year deal at Manchester City. Schmeichel, son of former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter, goes into today's game at Blackburn having conceded only one goal in four Premier League games this season. The club have moved to reward the 20-year-old Dane, one of the lowest earners in the Premier League, by trebling his 1,500 weekly wage.

Carson Is Cech's No1 Choice

PETR CECH, newly crowned as the best goalkeeper in the Champions League, has tipped Aston Villa's Scott Carson to become England's No1. Last weekend Cech recorded the 100th league clean sheet of his career in Chelsea's 1-0 win over Portsmouth, whose keeper, David James, is tipped to replace Paul Robinson as Steve McClaren's first choice.

Nhs Pays Millions of Pounds for Gp Cover

A RURAL Scottish health board paid more than 270,000 to fill one out-of-hours GP post at weekends. NHS Borders was forced into the measure after doctors opted out of working weekend nightshifts in 2004.

A Debut Worth the Wait ; Webster Strike Endsmonths of Misery but Final Score Is a Bit Harshon

IT took all of eight months but Andy Webster can now claim to have made his Rangers debut, an occasion he capped with the goal which finally staved off the resistance of Gretna. A deflected shot from Kris Boyd gave the home side a halftime lead but it wasn't until Webster climbed to meet DaMarcus Beasley's corner that the victory everyone expected was made safe. A further header from Carlos Cuellar and an own goal off the unfortunate Aurelien Collin skewed the scoreline somewhat, because this...

Benitez Basks in Joy of Six ; Liverpool Go Top As Rafa's 90m Outfit Show Their True Worth

LIVERPOOL 6 DERBY 0 Alonso (27, 69), Babel (45), Torres (56, 78), Voronin (76) WATCHING Liverpool canter to the top of the table was the least stressful part of Rafa Benitez's week.

In-Form Schmeichel Trebles City Money

KASPER SCHMEICHEL will be rewarded for his early-season form with a new three-year deal at Manchester City. Schmeichel, son of former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter - who had a year at City at the end of his career - goes into today's game at Blackburn after conceding only one goal in four Premier League games this season. The club have moved swiftly to reward the 20-yearold Dane, one of the lowest earners in the Premier League, by trebling his 1,500 weekly wage.

Royals Offer Olive Branch to Snp ; Queen and Charles to Meet Salmond

THE Royal Family has extended an olive branch to the SNP by organising two private meetings with the First Minister in the next few weeks. Alex Salmond will stay with the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at Balmoral later this month, in line with invitations extended to former First Ministers.

Prepare for a Fall ; Irons Sounds a Grimwarning As Rangers Trample All Over Gretna

DAVIE IRONS watched Gretna being handed an SPL education by Rangers and warned his players they will need to show more confidence and conviction if they are to clinch a first-ever topflight victory. With just a point taken from their opening five league games, the SPL table made sober reading for the First Division champions this morning. A team which is used to winning, courtesy of its rapid promotion through the leagues, has now fallen into a nasty habit of defeat, conceding an average of t...

Wills, Harry and Their Photos of the 'Best Mother in the World'

Kate Could Learn at the Court of King Kenny

Two very different exemplars of the British folk revival point up the contrast by releasing new albums within a week of one another just as they did in 2005. Yorkshires Kate Rusby is the leading light in the English traditional style, her voice and manner as clear and direct as their links to the past. Kenny Anderson, aka King Creosote, is a bearded denizen of Fife whose music qualifies as folk only in the sense that a spaceship made out of timber could be classified as carpentry. Andersons ...

Borrowing Their Way to Stardom

Hard Fi Once Upon A Time In The West (Necessary, out tomorrow) . . . . . Rolling Stones O2 Arena, London . . . . .

In Search of Mrs Shakespeare

Shakespeare's Wife by Germaine Greer Bloomsbury 20 18 inc pp (0845 606 4213) Shakespeare by Bill Bryson HarperPress 14.99 14.99 inc pp (0845 606 4213) Hughes Little may be known about the life of Shakespeare, but that hasn't stopped the world and his wife from speculating. The Bard of Avon was gay, he was Catholic, he was actually someone else entirely: you can take your pick from the wild and wonderful theories on offer.

Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier

CLYDESDALE BANK SCOTTISH PREMIER .LEADERS Rangers capped a memorable week with a 4-0 hammering of Gretna who must be wondering where their first victory will come. Rangers, who qualified for the Champions League group stage on Tuesday, made it five wins out of five in the league.