THEY SHOULD BE SEEN AND NOT HEARD
From the MEN:
Rio Ferdinand was banned from driving in his absence today after a court heard he was clocked travelling at more than 105mph on a motorway.
Magistrates in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, disqualified the 26-year-old footballer from driving for 28 days and fined him £1,500.
Chairman of the bench Ashley Howells criticised Ferdinand - who is currently in Africa undertaking charity work - for failing to provide a positive role model for young people.
Also from the MEN.
Gary Neville would sacrifice his entire Manchester United medal collection to be a 2006 Premiership title winner with the Reds.
The 30-year-old right back has a set of 11 winner’s medals garnered from a 10-year golden period as a senior regular.
"I'd swap all the trophies and medals I have won for the title next season and more after that. The past doesn't mean a thing and it is winning the next one that counts. Chelsea have raised the bar and we have to get to that level now.
"The challenge they have set doesn't frighten me. Making up that ground doesn't terrify me. What has always scared me more is that when I have won a medal I worry that it might be my last.
"I don't want to think that my title medal in 2003 will be the final one and I don't think it will be. I want another one hung around my neck next May. Second or third is no good for this club.
"It is a bigger challenge than we have ever had to win the title back. When you consider the money Chelsea can throw at players, it is a difficult task.
"But we have the squad, the management and the determination to do it. It is not beyond us. We have to take our medicine after this season and use the experience as a kick up the backside. It has to be a lever to get us on to the next level.
"Not one of our title-winning seasons would have been good enough to have won the championship this season. Arsenal didn't lose a match in the league all last season. Chelsea lost only one this campaign.
"We can no longer say that you can get away with about five or six defeats during the course of a season. They have set new standards.
"I think all the players during their time off should take a moment every single day and have a think and a quiet moment to contemplate the season.”
Darren Fletcher:
"Obviously it is a disaster for Manchester United to have no trophies this season and even if we had won the FA Cup it would still have been a disastrous season in the eyes of many. But we are confident that we have got the players, the manager and the whole set-up to challenge Chelsea.
"Players are going to come in and maybe they will be in my position but that is the challenge that is laid down by the manager to the players who are already there and for the new players coming in.
"I think Chelsea will also bring new players in. I think Mourinho has already said he is looking for three players to strengthen their team. They don't want to stand still. They want to keep progressing, the same as everyone else.
"Cardiff was one of the most disappointing days of my career so far. It has only been a short career but definitely the most disappointing.
"The only thing we can take out of it is the way we played but statistics don't win football matches. We didn't score and lost the game on penalties.
"It was unfortunate but I have to put it behind me and look forward to important games coming up for Manchester United and Scotland.”
"The takeover doesn't concern me to be honest or the other players. We just concentrated on the game in Cardiff. We put in a great performance but unfortunately it just didn't go for us. Matters off the park take care of themselves; we just concentrate on the park."