Soccer: Christmas bonding session brings night in jail - again

The explosive realities of crossing Glasgow Celtic footballers with a Christmas night out were demonstrated for the second year running when three of the team's players spent the night in custody this week.

Last year's club bash, at the Sizzlers steakhouse in Glasgow, rendered the team's Northern Ireland striker Neil Lennon prostrate on a pavement after he smashed his head on a kerb.

This year's celebrations, held in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in an attempt to avoid attention, delivered Lennon and three team-mates to the confines of the nearby Gateshead constabulary.

Lennon was quickly released, but Dutch winger Bobby Petta, Swedish star Johan Mjallby, and £3.8 million ($11.7 million) Belgian international Joos Valgaeren spent the night in jail as police investigated the robbery of a press photographer's camera.

The players were leaving Buffalo Joes, a bar on the Gateshead bank of the River Tyne featuring bikini-clad waitresses, when a fracas occurred.

The camera belonged to a Daily Record photographer who, according to witnesses, photographed the dispute outside the bar and was chased.

He called the police and the players were later arrested outside the plush Sea nightspot on the Newcastle side of the river - coincidentally where Newcastle United held their fancy dress party the same night.

Not that the latter event passed off entirely without incident. Chilean international Clarence Acuna was breathalysed and charged with drink-driving as he made his way to the party.

And as the mist cleared in the morning, Celtic's players ignored all questions.

Manager Martin O'Neill, who was not with his players, would have been left to reflect on the considerable wisdom of Leeds United, who have cancelled their Christmas party after last year's event delivered a similar denouement involving England striker Robbie Fowler.

Leeds gave up their planned "wild west" themed event after a Christmas party fracas involving Yorkshire neighbours Sheffield Wednesday served as a reminder of how celebrity Christmas functions can go badly wrong.

The Sheffield defenders Ian Hendon and Phil Scott have been arrested on suspicion of assault and suspended after the incident outside the Bondi Beach Bar in Leeds.

As well as the Fowler incident, Ipswich Town's players were last year accused of behaving "like animals" after relieving a stripper of her nurse's uniform.

Bizarrely, Manchester City players were also denied entry to a club for being dressed as "the Scousers" from Harry Enfield's television show.

This year the club have said they have "too many Christmas games" to stage a party.

The smarter clubs have been toning down their celebrations. West Bromwich Albion manager Gary Megson has organised a party for his players' children, Aston Villa are restricted to a night of ten-pin bowling, Everton had a low-key affair confined to a restaurant last weekend and Blackburn Rovers are doing nothing, along with Fulham, "because the manager does not encourage it."

Celtic, who were embarrassed last week when fans were accused of rioting on a flight back from a Uefa Cup game, confirmed their players had been on Tyneside for a Christmas party "in an effort to avoid attention."

- INDEPENDENT