Teddy did take a dive, says Cole

The simmering row between Teddy Sheringham and Andy Cole blew up again in the aftermath of yesterday's Worthington Cup Final in Cardiff.

Cole, the Blackburn hero with his second half winner, accused Tottenham's captain of "diving" two minutes from time in a controversial penalty incident. Referee Graham Poll refused to give a foul and Blackburn hung on for their 2-1 victory.

But after picking up his winners' medal, Cole said of his former Manchester United strike partner: "It was a dive and worth a booking."

It was one of football's worst kept secrets that the two had a strained relationship at Old Trafford and Sheringham dismissed questions about whether he had congratulated his ex-team mate after the match. "Leave it," he said. "I didn't speak to any of their players."

Les Ferdinand sprang to the defence of his captain and said: "We should also have had a penalty. I saw Teddy go down, but the ref shook his head and said no. Teddy's not a diver."

Sheringham could also be in trouble with the Football Association after criticising Poll.

He said: "It was a penalty and I can't believe he didn't give it. But then you will probably read something in the next six months in a book or something that I was on to him all the game and he decided not to give it.

"That's the type of fellow we are dealing with. Was he unsighted? Ask him."

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