We still like to get the ball upfield fast but it's a lot more subtle

"We still like to get the ball upfield fast, but it's a lot more subtle than smashing it down the middle and hoping for a knock-down If you'd seen my kicking, you wouldn't say that. It needs a bit of work."Remarkably for one still some way short of 100 first-team games, after understudying Dave Beasant and Hans Segers, he shares with Dean Blackwell the longest unbroken service. Having watched the FA Cup triumph of 1988 as an apprentice, he was on the bench for the Charity Shield but has never played at Wembley.Now he could be appearing there twice in two months. A stunning save from Gary Pallister helped break United's grip on the FA Cup, after which Sullivan had an unexpected visitor in the dressing-room. "I looked up to see Alex Ferguson coming towards me and wondered what was going on. He shook my hand and wished me well with Scotland, which was very gratifying after United's previous visit to Selhurst."And Wimbledon are favourites to win the Coca-Cola Cup, unaccustomed status which Sullivan is sure will not go to their heads "Leicester beat us in a tight game there a month ago.

To be honest, the goal came when I came flapping for a corner and got bundled out of it. They showed the Wimbledon spirit the way they came back against Chelsea on Sunday, so they're going to be very confident."But if the future holds any unwelcome surprises for Sullivan, Wimbledon's crazies are just as likely to be responsible. He awaits with trepidation their reaction to his tartanisation, a nickname being the least he expects to get away with "It'll probably be Jock," he muses "If I'm very lucky.". David Ginola is reported in France to have asked his agent to negotiate a transfer from Newcastle to Internazionale. Ginola, who joined Newcastle from Paris Saint-Germain 18 months ago, said last week he intended to finish the season in the North-east, but he is no longer certain of a first-team place under Kenny Dalglish. Sheffield Wednesday's manager, David Pleat, is planning a pounds 2.5m bid for Bolton's midfield playmaker, Alan Thompson. At the weekend, Pleat sent his coach, Martin Hodge, to make a final assessment of the player.Terry Venables has arranged a get-together in London later this month for foreign-based Australian players. The training camp, to be held from 24 to 26 February, is to prepare the Australian squad for internationals against Macedonia on 12 March and Hungary on 2 April.Leicester have signed the Norwich midfielder Robert Ullathorne in a pounds 600,000 deal.Everton's Joe Parkinson has undergone a second knee operation that will rule him out for most of the season.Brighton fans have called off a planned boycott of Saturday's home game against Swansea City.

Instead, supporters' groups are appealing for maximum support to be given to the team in their battle for League survival.Alan Irvine is to resign as youth coach at Blackburn and may rejoin his former manager, Kenny Dalglish, at Newcastle.The Football League yesterday denied that an agreement has been reached over the formation of nursery clubs following last week's announcement of co-operation between Liverpool and Crewe.. Hibernian 1 Celtic 1 And so to Celtic Park. These two sides will have another chance to play for the right to face Rangers in the Tennents Scottish Cup quarter- finals and it is perhaps just as well that Cup tie football is all about results because the football on show last night was not pretty. It was never going to be a game for the purists given the high stakes, but a draw was a fair result with both sides rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck in.Celtic struck first, Phil O'Donnell opening the scoring in the 16th minute after slipping a tackle and rifling a low shot into the net.On a wild night the ball refused to settle for either side, although Celtic continued to create chances before the interval. Andreas Thom worked a shooting chance for himself before blasting his shot over the bar and Jim Leighton saved a Paolo Di Canio shot with his legs.Playing down the famous Easter Road slope, Hibs began the second half with renewed vigour. Brian Grant saw his shot blocked and Darren Jackson shot narrowly over.