Four Newcastle United first-team players have been sent home from the club's Spanish training camp for a breach of discipline. Kieron Dyer, Craig Bellamy, Andy Griffin and Carl Cort broke club rules at the camp near Marbella but details of their misdemeanours have not been released.

A club spokesman said: "The four players were sent home for a breach of disciplinary rules.

"They have subsequently been fined and as far as the club is concerned, the matter is now closed."

England international Dyer, 22, was recently ordered to clean up his act by Magpies boss Bobby Robson.

And England Under-21 defender Griffin was involved in a training ground bust-up with French team-mate Laurent Robert two weeks ago.

Robson and Alan Shearer were called in to help resolve the situation.

Newcastle are fourth in the Premiership after beating Aston Villa on Saturday.

Hmmmm!

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

Answers

Good place to gan on the hoy is Spain. Young men trying to get a bit tash oot on the lash you think?

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

Bloody great. Just what we didn't need, good win against the league leaders, team-building trip to Spain and headlines for all the wrong reasons. SKY news suggest they skipped a dinner in SJH's honour. Not impressed (espec. if alcohol was involved).

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

Ooh dear: don't like this at all. Dyer, you half expect it, but the others are all supposed to be relatively "stable". Expect: Dyer to change clubs to escape Draconian regime at Newcastle; Griffin to seek transfer; Cort to want back to London and Bellamy, to, erm, be nice to a bairn.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

I suppose the good thing is that of the four, only Bellamy has been involved in recent games and he's on his first strike.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

I actually like to hear of drunken pranks, it sounds like the lads are havin a laugh together which must be good, esp as they are our better players. Much more encouraging than Bobby Lee, Wazza, Speed & Shearer having their wives around in a little "senior pro" clique

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

so there's no one left in spain now? apart from say bobby and sir john. griffin...shame, but hey he's a rich terminally injured footballer with a porsche so its to be expected.
dyer...turning out to be supernob, you'd think he'd be keen to keep his head down and get fit Shearer style. i'm coming around to softies way of thinking, HOWEVER if we spent 10 million quid on a new brain for him instead of a midfielder we might just be ok. OR castrate him

cort...forgotten who he was

bellamy...shame, i was just about to eat my hat :-)
the big BUT is what did they do? refuse to laugh at sjh's jokes?

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

planetfootball.com have a rather nifty animated gif to honour the dishonoured!...i say it adds somes spice to the team, and its not like the lads haven't been naughty before, there was venners and howety sent home from a bowling alley, shearer and gillespie in a fight one night and the big one Shepherd and Halls infamous NOTW stitch up

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

Thinking of Shearer and Gillespie, apparently Big Al took Dizzy outside and chined him for flicking little wee bits of soggy beer mats at him.


-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

You'd have thought if it was just missing the supper, the club would have ticked them off and said no more to avoid the headlines, and their being sent home suggests that they did something really out of order while missing out on the SJH party. I really hope it wasn't showing their arses to a posse of Saga tourists or something...

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

to be honest its a major cock up by Dyer. Do you think Eriksson will want a troublemaking dick in his wc squad? i reckon dyer has blown it big time

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

I know if I was a 22 year old on a beano in Spain I'd rather be having a drink and a laugh with my mates than sitting down to a stuffy dinner with some old trout who hasn't shown his face at St.James' for years. As Dougal says, probably more to this than skipping the posh nosh.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

Surely a stiff bollicking and maybe a fine would have been enough. Ups the ante on the future of at least one of them I'd say.

Suppose it serves us right for starting to think they might have been getting their acts together off the pitch as well.

Is Bobby too demanding on the discipline front ? If this was just young lads letting the beer get the better of them, I think it would have been better to try to keep it completely under wraps. Okay, I know we never could, but this way seems to me to make the hacks' jobs easier. I'd say if there's something going on, make the ba5tards graft to dig it out.

Chasing them home without giving out the whole story just gets the hacks licking their chops at the prospect of being able to embellish what might just be something that wouldn't normally raise an eyebrow, with the resulting 'it was out of context', 'I was misquoted' crap that invariably follows.

An immediate statement along the lines of 'the daft young buggas got p1ssed and .. blahdee blahdee blah', or whatever, would have pre- empted any chance of hacks having another field day. And if it turns out it was just because they scived off the SJH reception, I give up. Attendance should have been optional anyway, I reckon. There'd still have been enough boring old farts left to keep SJH's face straight.

Welcome back to the real world.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

Don't want to see a clique of senior British players replaced by a clique of junior British players whose chosen form of displaying solidarity is to ignore club orders and reduce their physical effectiveness by going on the hoy.

I simply don't understand why drinking isn't banned altogether. It takes weeks to get the effects fully out of your system and these lads will be retiring before they get near 40 as millionnaires and can drink themselves into an early grave then. Charge the twats 10k every time they have a drink. Earning thousands a week and can't think of anything better to do than mess up their fitness levels.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

Fair comment Softie, but a booze ban would be just like a lot of other worthy legislation - very desirable, but un-enforcible.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

How's about a sliding scale of payment. We test them all every week for body fat, balance of oxygen in the blood, heart rate etc and pay them a percentage of their wages based on their fitness level. The short fall has to be met through medical insurance. Going on the piss is a self-inflicted condition and they don't get covered for it while a leg broken in training is a different matter. Likewise, driving your Porsche into the side of a huge, bright yellow train is a case of denying your employer use of your services and you'll have to argue with your insurance bods to cover the lost earnings.

It makes me sick to think that any missed tackle or late lapse of concentration is caused by someone's fitness levels being reduced through alcohol: crapness I can deal with. The rest of us get smashed to escape from the lousiness of earning a living or drinking to celebrate not having to bother anymore - what's so bleeding miserable about their lives that they need to get away from?

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

If, as has been suggested, the misdemeanour was missing Hall's dinner, I would have preferred that the matter had been treated internally. Now, the club is being treated to the another bout of unnecessary notoriety.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

Agree with ya Softie. I really think these players get so spoiled they don't realize how good they have it. Still like the old idea of sending them off for a day's work in a factory/office/shop to see how the rest of us live.

I wonder who instigated this latest incident? Or if it was just collective stupidity. Has to be more than missing a dinner, though if you're company is paying for you to go on a trip and expects you to show up at a dinner...you show up and put on a good face. That's part of life at any level and any age. Then you sneak out once the ceremony is over. ;-)

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

If all its for is missing John Halls (i refuse to call him Sir) ass licking dinner then good for them, I cant stand the Old tw**.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

Thats really not the point Kennyboy. These players earn more in a couple of months than many of us in a decade. This while Cort + Dyer haven't kicked a ball for us in months. The least we can expect is that they respect the club and behave like professionals. If Dyer, for one, can't just grow up we might as well let Leeds have him and get the cash.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

Unbelievable. Remind me when I'm rich and famous to never invest my life savings in a football club (well not yours anyway - OK this is very unlikely but you get my drift).

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

I dont know about that, if they dont like the old prick and I can see why that would be the case, then I commend them for not being hypocritical.

ken

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

ML Hall NEVER invested his lifesavings into anything.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

ml was probably refering to Frank Williams.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

You have to be taking the piss!! How irresponsible, childish and immature of these four players to blatently abuse clube policy. Dyer will be a leeds player by christmas, he can all the fun he wants with bowyer, woodgate and the rest of 'em. How about parading them in front of the SJP crowd next home game and seeing how much we think of them now. Not only is it a slap in the face for the club but it's a big f**k off to us too. We paid for the trip, we should expect more. I hope Sven calls dyer to let him know how badly he's damaged his England chances.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

Hang On we dont even know what they've done, if its missing a dinner OH my! we'll better have there nuts chopped off and roasted on BBQ!

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

Should have been hushed up so it could be unearthed in about 3 years time by a team of crack Screws hacks for the further titillation of those sad tw@t5 who need to read about this sort of crap.

It's such a 'hiding to nowt' scenario, you could just about be forgiven for taking the easy way out and saying what the feck does it matter anyway, as long as it doesn't effect the way they perform on the pitch.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

I've just heard that they actually missed a curfew on a previous night and that this was the final straw. This may not be true but it sounds like a more plausible explanation than just missing a dinner. In truth, it's difficult to know what to say. Missing a dinner is hardly treasonable but anyone with any sort of career aspirations and politeness knows that gladhanding dinners oil a lot of wheels so the very least they've been guilty of is stupidity. I had a colleague who, when asked whether he wanted to go on a client golf day would say "no thanks". He was a great lawyer but that only offered him a certain amount of protection - he needed to be seen to be playing the game. It's very similar with this incident. Besides which, I daresay a few of our players would have preferred to be doing something else. It's insulting to the lads who did show up that Dyer et al thought they didn't need to show. Havind said all of this, I think it's probably more about a concatenation of disciplinary issues than about the dinner alone...the latter would surely have been dealt with by Freddy calling them "ignorant little gets" and telling them that they could go training in Benton as a reward.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

They all lead privileged lives, they should be responsible and GRATEFUL for what we put on their collective plates. How many of our employers would stand for the same sort of behavior?? I'd be canned before I could say sorry.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

they probably popped out to Freddie's favourite brothel...

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

Well it may be contrary to most reactions on here, but my instinctive thought was 'good'. Not so fussed about what they've done or how commensurate the punishment may or may not be - I can't see it doing the younger players any harm to know they'll be disciplined if they step out of line. Any player who would seriously slap in a transfer request or even hold a long-term grudge as a consequence of this shouldn't be in our squad anyway. As for the press, they'll get a day or two out of it and that'll be it, assuming there's no drugs, punching, prossers or videotape involved.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

I'm with Kennyboy, all we know is they missed an "All Hail Sir John" bash. Let he that hasn't used Freddies address book cast the first stone. They've embarrassed the club hirarchy and are being reprimanded for it anything else is just out of perspective.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

I just wish the club had attempted to keep it under wraps. Must be more serious than missing a dinner!!!!!! no doubt the tabloids are on to it now. Make me sick. Even the way it's being reported is so bloody moralistic. For instance

'and now NUFC find themselves making the headlines for the wrong reasons yet again'

Why didn't they just keep the lads in Spain and fine them! I think BR is way too public with his criticism of the players. Keep it all internal is my view.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

Just thinking. it wouln't suprise me if all they had done was miss a dinner. BR is very much a traditionalist and probably would have been deeply offended if they failed to show. Just like him to send them packing for that. Seems a bit harsh all the same.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

its the equivalent of popping out to drink bottles of cider with your mates when your granny is coming to tea...

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

Just for information.......Dyer and Cort spotted at WWF on Saturday night sporting 'The Rock' t-shirts. Well if that's their idea of entertainment....each to their own.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

Might be a bit harsh, but if he's trying to instill discipline into a team that definitely needs it, I can't really blame him. If they don't like it they can hand in a transfer request, and if they did something like that they don't have the right attitude to be playing for us anyway. They're professionals on a company trip, not babies in a creche. There's plenty of time for play after attending to their duties. It wouldn't have killed them to sit down to dinner for an hour or so with the rest of their teammates.

Though I do agree, it is probably better if these disciplinary issues can be kept quiet. Not sure how easy that is with the press sniffing around for scandal.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

They deserve a fine for watching WWF!

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

The boys have done wrong. They are on company business and failed to honour their commitments. They have been disciplined and that is good.

As for the NUFC announcement.... that is exactly right. If they hadn't done that then the press WOULD have found out and the headlines would be "Toon try to cover up squad unrest" ... or worse! And if it pisses these players off then they need to realise who is paying their wages and who they represent.... i.e. US

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

Latest: The Guardian newspaper web newsletter reports Bolton players who are also in Marbella as saying the Newcastle 4 were: "getting lashed in a bar before involving themselves in a messy punchup".

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

You'd have thought Griff would have cottoned on to the fact that he'll never worry Audley Harrison's agent..

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

bellamy and dyer in fights, thats hilarious. knowing the speed of bellamys gob its not hard too understand why he'd get involved in bar fights. but those two? flies.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

Isn't it all OAPs and retirees in Spanish holiday resorts at this time of year? They might have stood a chance against the East Suusex Derby and Joan Annual Trip to Marbaaaaayah.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

I'm off on a "company trip" to Paris the morra mornin'. I hope I don't suffer the same consequences for going on the lash. Apparently, that's the whole reason for going. Maybe if I'm spotted doing some work...........................;-)

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

Exactly, Screach. It's all about show. And not showing how hungover you really are the next day. ;-)

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2001

Sorry to be the odd one out but I see it differently.They obviously did something wrong-probably involving booze.They got caught and sent home and the club state that after their "punishment" that should be the end of the matter! Personally I don't give a toss what the tabloids imply--and if it really is the end of the matter for YBR then thats OK with me. Anyway-the average age of the four of them is about 21---have you all forgotten what you yourselves were getting up to at that age? Compared with most of us they are like '4 little angels' AND totally different from the LEEDS thugs!!!!!!!!!!!! Fifties Fan

-- Anonymous, November 08, 2001

Alan, it seems they were in a fight, what would the implications have been if a punch had knocked someone out or wounded someone badly? then they would have probably been involved in court action - worse still in Spain where they would have been detained until a resolution was found.

-- Anonymous, November 08, 2001

swift, are you implying they were sent home pronto to avoid El Bill? ... could be

-- Anonymous, November 08, 2001

Ooh, aren't the papers just having a field day, particularly with regard to Dyer. Tw*ts.

-- Anonymous, November 08, 2001

Pity there isn't a game this weekend. A repeat performance from Bellamy and at least he'd be back in the good books.

I can accept the company business argument, they should at least have put in an appearance, but I'm more bothered by the way the club handle stuff like this. It makes the situation worse when only part of the story is given out.

I think the whole thing would be dead and buried now if they'd gone the whole hog and not only punished them, but had also told us exactly why - tell the truth and shame the devil sort of thing.

As it is, the speculation until some rag sh1t digs out their version of the facts, will keep it boiling for ages.

I think it's pointless arguing that it's an internal affair - in which case why why go public at all ? As long as there are sad b@st@rds who get off on this kind of crap, there'll be even sadder b@st@rds who make it their business to dig it up.

By just telling the whole story, sh1t or bust, at least the hacks would be pre-empted. The whole thing is really just another example of an 'only as good as your last game' situation, in this case, the last 'game' is of the 'social' rather than the 'sporting' variety.

A couple of the 'sporting' variety like v Villa, in which they're all playing, and they'll be flying high again.

-- Anonymous, November 08, 2001

And NUFC.com reckon that 4 more players were involved but haven't been named. Certainly a bit more believable than the arse-clenching rubbish on icNewcastle about how they hadn't realised that they were expected at the dinner and are so terribly sorry for the unintentional insult and that the first thing they knew about being in trouble was when the itinerary came around saying they were to be on the first plane home. Purleese.

-- Anonymous, November 08, 2001

Softie, if you look at the picture of the squad gathering at SJH's place, there are loads of absentees: it looks like the Blue Chip Brigade plus the bairns.

-- Anonymous, November 08, 2001

Softie, just seen the NUFC.COM thing: they actually say "NUFC employees" which raises the spectre of it being club officials, which is even worse than club players...

-- Anonymous, November 08, 2001

Il n'était pas moi, j'était à la maison de ma mère!

-- Anonymous, November 08, 2001

Il n'etait pas chez moi, votre honneur. Il m'avait dit qu'il etait avec ses deux pouffiases, mais je dois rien dire..

-- Anonymous, November 08, 2001

Aye, that's easy for you to say mate.

-- Anonymous, November 08, 2001

I bet it was Derek Wright and the groundsman having a drunken brawl on the street. The Fantastic Four came to split them up and got the blame.

There's nowt in it now for me though, the club says it's the end of the matter. I can hardly imagine Bellamy being booed when he gets the ball from now on.

-- Anonymous, November 08, 2001

spanish press are hinting that one or two 'senior' players missed the dinner to.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2001

Swift, on the pre-dinner photo, there was Speed, Shearer and Barton plus Harper. Otherwise it looked like just bairns. No sign of Hughes, Elliott or several others players...it may just be that this lot got there late, of course.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2001

It seems the four players are extremely upset at being publicly humiliated, and are adamant it was not made clear to them that attendance at the SJH dinner was mandatory.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the situation, and unless there was more to it than has been alleged, this entire affair appears to have badly bungled by the Toon, yet again. The parallel trip to Spain last year finished up a costly fiasco, and this one is no different.

After finishing on an intoxicating high after the Villa game, the Toon have have yet again snatched choas and recriminations from the jaws of contentment and harmony. Will they never learn?

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2001

nope

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2001