Football: Clarke pencilled in to face Dutch

SUDDENLY it is all happening for Chelsea's forgotten man, Steve Clarke. On Saturday he faces up to Ryan Giggs in the FA Cup final at Wembley, while yesterday he was pencilled in to return to the Scotland side in the friendly against the Netherlands in Utrecht on 27 May.

Clarke, who will be 31 in August, won the last of his five caps six years ago. Since then, the former St Mirren defender has not always held a place at Stamford Bridge let alone come into the international reckoning, but finds himself back in favour because of an outstanding club season and the tactical requirements of Craig Brown.

The Scotland manager intends to persevere with a five-man defence in which the full-backs push forward. He sees the pacy Clarke as the ideal replacement for the injured Tom Boyd against the Dutch. 'Stevie is the in-form defender in the country,' Brown said.

Brown had hoped to field as near as possible the team who would face Finland in the first qualifying game in September. Injuries to Boyd, Andy Goram, Paul McStay and the fast-advancing Phil O'Donnell scuppered that plan, but Scotland will go into the match buoyed by last month's victory in Austria.

The Netherlands, beaten at home by the Republic of Ireland the same night, expect to have Ruud Gullit back for what now becomes a vital part of their preparations for the World Cup finals.

Simon Donnelly, the 19-year old Celtic striker, is included in the Under-21 squad for the annual Toulon tournament. His club manager, Lou Macari, has likened Donnelly to the young Kenny Dalglish, and Brown added: 'If he's a sensation in France and starts next season the way he has finished this one, he'd have to be a contender for the senior team. He looks as exciting as any emerging talent I've seen in my eight years in the international set-up.'

SCOTLAND SQUAD (Friendly international v Netherlands, Utrecht, 27 May): Leighton (Hibernian), Gunn (Norwich); Clarke (Chelsea), McLaren (Heart of Midlothian), McKimmie, Irvine, Shearer, Jess (all Aberdeen), Hendry (Blackburn Rovers), D Robertson, McCall, I Ferguson, Durie (all Rangers), McKinlay (Dundee United), Collins (Celtic), McAllister (Leeds), McGinlay (Bolton), Nevin (Tranmere).