Bosnich's career is under threat

Chelsea goalkeeper Mark Bosnich has pledged to fight drugs charges in a bid to clear his name.

Bosnich was charged by the FA of breaching their doping regulations and bringing the game into disrepute following a positive test for cocaine.

The 30-year-old has been suspended from all footballing activities until the charges are heard and his club say that the player's future will be dealt with by "an internal meeting".

But he has hired top sports lawyer Peter Goodman to defend him and the pair have until 10 January to respond to the FA decision.

The Australian international insists he has never knowingly taken cocaine and his legal team are speaking to medical experts to find out how traces of the drug got into his system.

I will be gutted if Chelsea sack him just because he earns a lot of money and he has been caught taking drugs Paul Merson on Mark Bosnich

Bosnich faces being sacked by current employers Chelsea after his B-sample confirmed earlier findings in his A-sample.

But Portsmouth midfielder Paul Merson called on Stamford Bridge's hierarchy to stick by the troubled star.

"I will be gutted if Chelsea sack him just because he earns a lot of money and he has been caught taking drugs," Merson told BBC Sport.

"I think that would be the easy way out."

Merson, who admitted in 1994 to having problems with drug use, alcoholism and gambling addiction, also hopes that the FA show some leniency towards Bosnich.

He added: "Will the FA be silly and ban him for a year? What good is that going to do?

"It's important that people get round the table and try to sort it out and do the right thing."

It was revealed in November that Bosnich is suffering from severe clinical depression, something that Merson believes is at the centre of the Australian's problems.

"He will have to go through six to eight weeks in a treatment centre and drag everything up," added Merson.

"It is hard, it's the hardest thing you could ever do, but if you get out the other side it is the best thing you could ever do."