Goram ducks Celtic confrontation

Former Glasgow Rangers and Scotland goalkeeper Andy Goram will miss the game his current side Motherwell play at the weekend against Glasgow Celtic blaming 'adverse' publicity.

Goram's photo appeared in the press holding a UVF flag two weeks ago and his alleged loyalist para military sympathies would enflame the Celtic support if he were to play against them again. The possibility of major crowd disturbances in the light of testimony from his former wife who is suing Goram for divorce made his withdrawal a diplomatic certainty. The photo dates back to earlier in the decade when he was starring in goal for Rangers.

Goram - born in Oldham of Scottish descent - denies any support for extreme loyalist terror groups in Northern Ireland but the issue is a live one on the Glasgow football scene where rivalries off the pitch are couched in archaic references to the Irish troubles. A section of the Rangers support - along with Linfield and Chelsea - have known links to loyalist terror gangs in the province and the possibility of a return for Goram to the national side has receded since the accusations of his wife emerged in their bitter divorce battle.