Partner Article

Footballer shown the red card at Wearside nightspot

The owners of a Wearside night spot which is the favourite haunt of one of Sunderland football club’s young hopefuls have banned him - for the sake of his career. Manager Roy Keane recently said that 19-year-old player Anthony Stokes could go “as far as he wants” in the game, if he stayed out of the city’s Glass Spider night club.

Yesterday Wylam Leisure – the owners of The Glass Spider – agreed to ban Stokes until the end of the football season.

Wylam Leisure director Tony Griffiths said: “Because we have a private VIP area it is always very popular and the players know that this is the liveliest club in Sunderland. “But as great Sunderland supporters, we obviously want to see them do well - and if Roy Keane thinks The Glass Spider is a distraction, then we have decided to bar Anthony until the football season ends so he can concentrate on his game.”

That’s not to say the young player will be banned for good however.

“At the end of the season if he comes back we’ll treat him to a huge bottle of champagne and a night in the VIP area at our expense,” said Mr Griffiths.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .