Football: Dodds set to move south to Rangers for pounds 1.3m

RANGERS ARE poised to complete the signing of the Scotland striker Billy Dodds from Dundee United after the clubs agreed a fee, believed to be pounds 1.3m, last night.

Dodds, 30, headed south from Tannadice Park yesterday to have a medical test at Ibrox and to discuss personal terms. Rangers said last night in a statement that "they did not envisage any problems" on either of those issues.

The club added: "We will therefore not be able to confirm that Billy Dodds has signed or register him as a Rangers player until tomorrow morning." The former Chelsea, Dundee and Aberdeen striker will be able to play against St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park today as long as he is registered by the noon deadline.

The Rangers manager, Dick Advocaat, decided to strengthen his front line after Jonatan Johansson became the latest casualty. The Finnish international is expected to be out for about three months after damaging ankle ligaments in the midweek League Cup defeat to Aberdeen.

Michael Mols has already been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury and two other Rangers strikers, Rod Wallace and Gabriel Amato, have been struggling recently with hamstring problems.

Darius Adamczuk returns to the Rangers squad today following a head injury. The St Johnstone striker Graeme Jones is making good progress after a groin strain and should be ready to face the Ibrox side. The goalkeeper Alan Main and the midfielder Nick Dasovic are also expected to be fit.

The game at McDiarmid Park is, however, doubtful because of the snow which hit Scotland yesterday. Two of today's games have already been postponed: Aberdeen against Motherwell and Dundee against Kilmarnock.

The Celtic defender Stephane Mahe is available to play only one first- team game from now until the end of January because of suspension.

The Frenchman faces an immediate one-match ban after being sent off for violent conduct during Wednesday's League Cup quarter-final against Dundee. That rules him out of today's Premier League fixture with Hibernian at Parkhead, but his offence has also earned him 12 disciplinary points, taking him through the 16-point threshold.

That means that, after Celtic's visit to Aberdeen on 11 December, Mahe faces a further three games on the sidelines, including the next Old Firm derby with Rangers on 27 December.