Whitley gets Euro 2004 qualifier call-up

Jeff Whitley's recent return to first-team action with Sunderland has obviously done his international profile no harm at all - he's just received a late call-up to the Northern Ireland squad for a Euro 2004 qualifying match.

Northern Ireland, currently at the bottom of group 6, will play top-of-group Greece in Athens on Saturday.

Greece need to win the match to be sure of finishing as group winners and qualifying automatically for next year's finals in Portugal.

Whitley hasn't represented his country since October 2000, when he played in the 1-1 draw with Denmark, a World Cup qualifier.

Defender George McCartney will also appear for Northern Ireland on Saturday.