Smith: Booze brothers' ban stands

by Gordon Pope , 18 June 2009

Gordon Smith says Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor are unlikely to play again under George Burley.

The SFA chief executive had reportedly said they had not been given life bans on a radio station, which led to the suggestion the pair could get back into the national set-up.

However, Smith says any return for the pair is unlikely while Burley remains in charge.

“I don't remember mentioning anything about a spirit of reconciliation,” he said.

“I said there was always a possibility that somebody in the future might decide to change that decision.”

He added: “The point I was trying to make was that everybody kept saying it was a life ban. You can't do life bans in football terms so therefore you can't say it was a life ban or sine die.

“What we're saying is they will not be chosen again for the national team and we stick by that.

“Someone said, 'Can you ever see that changing?' Well, if you say it can't ever change you effectively are saying it's a life ban.

“It's not a life ban but I don't see any situation where it is going to change in the near future.”

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