NEWCASTLE United duo Steve Caldwell and Brian Kerr have been handed the chance to book their places on Scotland's Far East tour.

Defender Caldwell and midfielder Kerr were yesterday named in a pre-tour party which will play a practice match against Dundee United at Stirling Albion's Forthbank Stadium at the end of the month.

New Scotland coach Berti Vogts has asked the pair to join a shadow-squad training camp on April 29, a day before the game.

The squad also includes former United players Paul Dalglish (Wigan Athletic) and Stephen Glass, now at Watford.

Scotland will then play World Cup co-hosts South Korea in Busan on May 16, followed by two games in the Hong Kong tournament on May 20 and 23.

Steve Caldwell's younger brother, Newcastle defender Gary, is on duty with the full Scotland squad tonight for their friendly with England's World Cup opponents Nigeria at Aberdeen, hoping to win his second cap after making his debut in the 5-0 thrashing by France in Paris three weeks ago.

Middlesbrough's Robbie Stockdale is also in the squad and set to claim his first cap for the Scots.

Stockdale was recognised at England Under-21 level last season when he played against Georgia at the Riverside, but qualifies to play for Scotland through his grandparentage.

l Aaron Hughes is in line to lead Northern Ireland for the first time tonight fresh with a ringing endorsement from national boss Sammy McIlroy, writes JACK LESLIE.

The Newcastle defender will win his 24th cap, marking Real Madrid striker Raul as Ireland tackle World Cup dark horses Spain in Belfast, and McIlroy has been hit with a series of high profile withdrawals from his squad ahead of the daunting friendly.

The Northern Ireland boss is already without Celtic midfielder Neil Lennon and Ipswich Town's Jim Magilton. Former Newcastle winger Keith Gillespie is also a doubt having been confined to bed with a sore throat.

That leaves 22-year-old Hughes, whose consistency this season has been a major factor in Newcastle's march towards a Champions League spot, in line to skipper his country against Juan Camacho's highly-rated side.

McIlroy said: "It's fantastic that Aaron has turned up and shown us that he wants to come."

Hughes' former Newcastle teammate Warren Barton went on record last week saying he felt Hughes was the ideal candidate to skipper both his club and country in years to come.

And the Derby County defender's assertion could well be proved right at Windsor Park tonight.

McIlroy added: "Aaron's an example to everybody else and I want them all to be like him. The lads turns up no matter what."

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