Drunk player spent four hours in a police cell

Feb 25 2010 The Journal

FORMER Newcastle United and Sunderland player Michael Chopra spent four hours in a police cell after a night out on Tyneside.

The forward was arrested in the early hours of Sunday in Newcastle city centre. Officers spotted him and a friend acting in a drunken manner as they made their way along Grey Street at around 1.40am.

The pair were taken to the city’s Market Street police station, where they spent four hours sobering up in a cell.

Both were then issued with £80 fixed penalty notices for being drunk and disorderly and released at around 5.40am.

The incident came just hours after Chopra played for Cardiff City at home against Barnsley, a game they lost 2-0.

A police spokeswoman said: “Two men aged 26 and 18 were arrested in Grey Street, Newcastle city centre on Sunday, February 21 at 1.30am on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly.

“They each received a penalty notice for being drunk and disorderly.”

Chopra was a product of Newcastle United’s academy but failed to hold down a regular first team place and was sold to Cardiff ahead of the 2006/07 season.

A year later, Roy Keane bought him for Sunderland for £5.5m but he later moved back to Wales.