Golac bids farewell to Tannadice

One of the Scottish season's more predictable farewells took place yesterday when Dundee United parted company with their manager, Ivan Golac.

The former Yugoslavian World Cup defender left Tannadice Park for the last time after a meeting with the United chairman, Jim McLean. The presence in the boardroom of the man who spent so long as manager of the club always made it difficult for Golac, and his idiosyncratic managerial style cannot have aided his relationship with McLean.

Golac took United to success in the Tennents Scottish Cup last season last season but they were knocked out of this season's tournament last weekend and now they face only a fight against relegation from the Premier Division. Three members of the coaching staff - Gordon Wallace, Paul Hegarty and Maurice Malpas, who is also the first-team captain - take caretaker charge.

"I am disappointed with the way things have gone since we beat Rangers in the [Scottish Cup] final," Golac said, "but I am happy with what I have achieved here."

The former Dundee United striker, Duncan Ferguson, has failed in his bid to overturn his dismissal in a Premiership fixture against Leicester City 10 days ago, and will now miss Everton's FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham.

Everton had appealed against the red card, claiming that Ferguson was a victim of his reputation as a troublemaker. However, the referee, Paul Durkin, reviewed a recording of the incident and saw nothing to make him change his mind about Ferguson's dismissal for an elbowing offence.

The Scottish international, dismissed for the second time since his arrival from Rangers, now faces a four-match suspension, which will include the Elland Road tie with Tottenham on 9 April. His team-mate, Vinny Samways, is likely to leave Goodison Park after telling the Everton manager, Joe Royle, not to employ him as a substitute.

The former Tottenham midfielder started the first 13 games of the season, but has played only two full games since Royle took charge in November. He has been on the bench four times, but has rejected that role for tonight's home game against Manchester City. "Vinny has indicated that he sees his future elsewhere," Royle said. "He hasn't put anything in writing, so we'll have to wait and see."

The Aston Villa forward, Dalian Atkinson, may also be on the move soon. The former Real Sociedad man wants to play abroad again because he says he misses "the culture, climate, the sun and the way the game is played."

Dave Beasant is in line to step up for Southampton's Premiership match at home to West Ham tonight should Bruce Grobbelaar be otherwise engaged. Beasant lost his first-team place at The Dell to Grobbelaar this season - just as he did at Wimbledon in 1988 to Hans Segers, the other goalkeeper arrested yesterday.

n The defender Stephane Mah, who marked Ian Wright in the first leg, was passed fit for Auxerre's European Cup-Winners' Cup quarter-final return match with Arsenal tomorrow. Gunners' fans without tickets were yesterday warned to stay away. Gilbert Goirand, a director of Auxerre, said: "We want to make it absolutely clear the match is all-ticket and all tickets have already been sold."