Rio Ferdinand is determined to ignore worldwide opinion and press ahead with his appeal against an eight-month drugs ban setting Manchester United and the Football Association on a collision course which could end in the British High Court.
The 25-year-old England international left Bolton's Reebok Stadium in a state of shock last night having been informed he will sit out the equivalent of an entire season for his failure to take a drugs test at United's Carrington training ground on September 23.
Almost three months after `forgetting' to supply a mandatory urine sample, the £29.1million British record signing learned the full significance of his actions, the three-man independent commission also hitting him in the pocket with a £50,000 fine.
Predictably, opinion on the suspension was divided with leading figures from the wider world of sport claiming the ban was on the lenient side, a view not shared by the footballing fraternity and particularly Ferdinand, United and the PFA.
Given the swiftness of United's response, in which they branded the verdict "savage and unprecedented", the FA can start clearing dates for the appeal hearing straightaway.
And such is the anger in the Old Trafford camp that if no joy is forthcoming from a second hearing, which will take exactly the same form as the first with the notable exception of being headed by a totally independent QC from outside the FA, the very real possibility exists of the matter being settled in a court of law.
"The savage and unprecedented sentence makes an appeal inevitable," confirmed United director and solicitor Maurice Watkins, who was part of Ferdinand's legal team throughout the two-day hearing.
"I can confirm Rio has the full support of Manchester United and the Professional Footballers' Association. We are extremely disappointed by the result of this case."
The FA have stated that the ban is due to commence on January 12, and would take in the remainder of the current season, the start of the next, England's entire Euro 2004 campaign and the opening two World Cup qualifiers next autumn.
However, those dates can quickly be erased for once Ferdinand lodges his appeal - and he has 16 days to do so - he will be free to continue his career until the case is settled.