The Birmingham boss also added that he felt Ferguson had been placed in an impossible situation following his involvement in the 'Boozegate' scandal that resulted in him and then-Ibrox team-mate Allan McGregor being banned from the Scotland squad.

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When asked whether the intelligence community's conclusion pushed the situation across President Barack Obama's "red line" that could trigger more U.S. involvement in the war, Hagel said it's too soon to say.

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Mr Naylor, who praised the involvement of the club, said a group would go to Derby County to look at the situation there as it was "a very similar set up around the ground".

BBC: Stoke City FC 'could have park and ride'

This is something, by the way -- going back to my involvement -- two or three days after this happened, we had a meeting down in the Situation Room in which I specifically asked Bob Gates and Mike Mullen what assets do we have that could potentially help that BP or other oil companies around the world do not have.

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