Ferdinand withdraws appeal

Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand has withdrawn his second appeal against match bans following charges of violent conduct.

Defender Ferdinand had received a three-match suspension following an incident where he appeared to swing an elbow in the face of Hull City Striker Craig Fagan in their clash at Old Trafford.

The charge was initially denied by 31-year-old Ferdinand and he was given an additional one-game ban for a "frivolous appeal". 

While awaiting the first appeal verdict, it meant that he could play in the Manchester Derby beating City before getting the subsequent fourth game ban.  However, he has now accepted his fate rather than risk a fifth game out.

Having already missed two games, Ferdinand will remain seated for United's Premier League matches against Aston Villa and Everton but should be back on the 28th February for the Carling Cup final against Villa.

Promoted

Ferdinand was promoted on Friday following Fabio Capello's decision to strip John Terry of the England captaincy.  Capello is quoted as saying Terry's "position had become untenable after a series of off field indiscretions".

However, the new captain who was first called up in 1997 to the England squad, has also been described by fans as having a "colourful past", reflecting on incidents off the pitch particularly on holiday.

And also an incident in 2003 when he missed a routine drugs test and despite appealing was banned from football for eight months in January 2004.

Of more concern to some is Ferdinand's tendancy to injury that the centre back has suffered from in the past.