Last year we brought you some tales from the craziest Christmas parties footballers' have ever held! This festive season we decided to have a look at some more X-rated, Xmas parties from over the years!
Christmas parties can be wild affairs in even the smallest of companies. Throw in over twenty lads earning tens of thousands of pounds a week and simmering internal feuds, and you've got a recipe for disaster.
As football clubs prepare for their usual Christmas nights out, we look at some reasons from Christmas past for them to behave themselves.
Tottenham, 2009
Harry Redknapp's Tottenham side would go on to qualify for the Champions League at the end of the 2009/10 season, but all that hard work was nearly undone by an unauthorised party in Dublin organised by Ireland legend, Robbie Keane.
The Irish skipper told Redknapp the lads were going on a golfing trip to his native land but when pictures emerged of the players visiting a certain Harcourt Street nightclub, Harry wasn't best pleased.
Spurs would go on to lose that weekend to struggling Wolves and Keano was shipped out on loan to Celtic just two months later.
Liverpool, 1998
These days, Jamie Carragher is a well-respected pundit and Liverpool legend but early in his career he was a mischievous Scouse lad and he made the 1998 Christmas party his own!
Dressed as the Hunchback of Notre Dame, according to the now-defunct News of the World the centre-back enjoyed improvising with a can of whipped cream and a "gaggle of strippers". The Reds' captain Paul Ince was the DJ and he was "concerned" at the antics whilst renowned party animal, Michael Owen hid in a corner, likely in case a stripper asked did he like movies.
West Ham, 2012
Hammers striker Andy Carroll may have a festive surname but his antics on their 2012 Christmas party in Dublin were far from jovial.
The Liverpool flop was questioned by Gardai after an altercation with a photographer outside a Burger King restaurant. Allegedly, Carroll hit the paparazzo after one too many shots. And one too many photos, probably. Knowing Carroll’s form at the time, it’s a wonder he didn’t miss.
Manchester United, 2007
Sir Alex Ferguson’s hairdryer must have been in full affect after his side’s festive outing in 2007.
A “No Wags” policy was implemented and, instead, 100 women were handpicked to attend the shenanigans. Danny Simpson was allegedly involved in a dancefloor brawl and the night ended with Jonny Evans facing allegations of rape. The charges were dropped a few months later, as were plans for similar debauchery the following Christmas.
Newcastle United, 1998
We’ve all got inappropriate gifts for co-workers’ Kris Kindles, but surely none as tasteless as Newcastle United’s squad in 1998.
Dietmar Hamann, being German, received a copy of Mein Kampf while Italian Alessandro Pistone was given a sheep’s heart – to highlight his lack of commitment. Duncan Ferguson, who’d spent some time in jail a few years earlier, was given a prison shirt. Nice bunch of lads.
Manchester City, 2004
According to Joey Barton, Robbie Fowler started it. The City players had been “out on the lash since midday” and thought it’d be fun to start burning holes in each other’s jackets.
Barton and youth player Jamie Tandy had an altercation before the squad retired to their hotel. Barton alleges that his shirt was set on fire, with a grinning Tandy being the chief suspect. As retribution, the controversial midfielder grabbed Danny Mill’s cigar and stubbed it in Tandy’s eye.
Barton was fined six week’s wages and was later sued by Tandy.
Liverpool again, 1990s
If you thought Liverpool’s FA Cup Final cream suits were the worst thing they’ve worn, think again. At a Christmas party in the 1990s Steve McMahon refused to allow a player in a Ku Klux Klan outfit admission.
“You can’t come in like that. John Barnes is in there”, argued McMahon. “No, he’s not,” came the reply, “he’s in here!”, as Barnes whipped off his hood.
West Ham, again
The Hammers’ festive bashes seem to cause more controversy than most. In 1998, Trevor Sinclair and Neil Ruddock were arrested after a woman claimed they “ripped bits off her car” while in fancy dress.
Three years later, young defender Hayden Foxe was dreaming of a Wet Christmas, and contrived to get the whole West Ham squad ejected from the Sugar Reef club for mistaking the bar for a urinal. He was fined two week’s wages and given a free transfer months later.
Christmas parties can be wild affairs in even the smallest of companies. Throw in over twenty lads earning tens of thousands of pounds a week and simmering internal feuds, and you've got a recipe for disaster.
As football clubs prepare for their usual Christmas nights out, we look at some reasons from Christmas past for them to behave themselves.
Tottenham, 2009
Harry Redknapp's Tottenham side would go on to qualify for the Champions League at the end of the 2009/10 season, but all that hard work was nearly undone by an unauthorised party in Dublin organised by Ireland legend, Robbie Keane.
The Irish skipper told Redknapp the lads were going on a golfing trip to his native land but when pictures emerged of the players visiting a certain Harcourt Street nightclub, Harry wasn't best pleased.
Spurs would go on to lose that weekend to struggling Wolves and Keano was shipped out on loan to Celtic just two months later.
Liverpool, 1998
These days, Jamie Carragher is a well-respected pundit and Liverpool legend but early in his career he was a mischievous Scouse lad and he made the 1998 Christmas party his own!
Dressed as the Hunchback of Notre Dame, according to the now-defunct News of the World the centre-back enjoyed improvising with a can of whipped cream and a "gaggle of strippers". The Reds' captain Paul Ince was the DJ and he was "concerned" at the antics whilst renowned party animal, Michael Owen hid in a corner, likely in case a stripper asked did he like movies.
I wish that’s all it was!!!
— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) December 6, 2017""
West Ham, 2012
Hammers striker Andy Carroll may have a festive surname but his antics on their 2012 Christmas party in Dublin were far from jovial.
The Liverpool flop was questioned by Gardai after an altercation with a photographer outside a Burger King restaurant. Allegedly, Carroll hit the paparazzo after one too many shots. And one too many photos, probably. Knowing Carroll’s form at the time, it’s a wonder he didn’t miss.
Manchester United, 2007
Sir Alex Ferguson’s hairdryer must have been in full affect after his side’s festive outing in 2007.
A “No Wags” policy was implemented and, instead, 100 women were handpicked to attend the shenanigans. Danny Simpson was allegedly involved in a dancefloor brawl and the night ended with Jonny Evans facing allegations of rape. The charges were dropped a few months later, as were plans for similar debauchery the following Christmas.
Newcastle United, 1998
We’ve all got inappropriate gifts for co-workers’ Kris Kindles, but surely none as tasteless as Newcastle United’s squad in 1998.
Dietmar Hamann, being German, received a copy of Mein Kampf while Italian Alessandro Pistone was given a sheep’s heart – to highlight his lack of commitment. Duncan Ferguson, who’d spent some time in jail a few years earlier, was given a prison shirt. Nice bunch of lads.
Manchester City, 2004
According to Joey Barton, Robbie Fowler started it. The City players had been “out on the lash since midday” and thought it’d be fun to start burning holes in each other’s jackets.
Barton and youth player Jamie Tandy had an altercation before the squad retired to their hotel. Barton alleges that his shirt was set on fire, with a grinning Tandy being the chief suspect. As retribution, the controversial midfielder grabbed Danny Mill’s cigar and stubbed it in Tandy’s eye.
Barton was fined six week’s wages and was later sued by Tandy.
Liverpool again, 1990s
If you thought Liverpool’s FA Cup Final cream suits were the worst thing they’ve worn, think again. At a Christmas party in the 1990s Steve McMahon refused to allow a player in a Ku Klux Klan outfit admission.
“You can’t come in like that. John Barnes is in there”, argued McMahon. “No, he’s not,” came the reply, “he’s in here!”, as Barnes whipped off his hood.
West Ham, again
The Hammers’ festive bashes seem to cause more controversy than most. In 1998, Trevor Sinclair and Neil Ruddock were arrested after a woman claimed they “ripped bits off her car” while in fancy dress.
Three years later, young defender Hayden Foxe was dreaming of a Wet Christmas, and contrived to get the whole West Ham squad ejected from the Sugar Reef club for mistaking the bar for a urinal. He was fined two week’s wages and given a free transfer months later.