LIVID Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson has punished up to 30 players—and torn into them EVERY day since their disgraceful Christmas party climaxed in rape claims and a "roasting" scandal. He has really turned on the heat by fining EVERY big-earning first team star who took part in the £4,000-a-head 15-hour booze binge on December 17. Sir Alex's shock punishment —which added up to a whopping £1 MILLION—is the heftiest penalty ever dished out by a Premiership team for a breach of team disicipine. He has also BANNED any more parties and WARNED his pampered millionaire players there will NEVER be a repeat performance. A senior club insider revealed: "Fergie is absolutely livid. This is the angriest anyone's ever seen him. He's lectured the boys every day in training since it happened."
The manager has decreed that the players involved be fined on a sliding scale depending on how much they earn. All the money, believed to average out at slightly less than a week's wages per player, will be donated to charity.
Outraged by the arrest of his budding £8,000-a-week defender Jonny Evans, 19, pictured top, on suspicion of rape, Fergie has directed his most explosive "hairdryer" tirades at his most senior players, including £70,000-a-week Gary Neville, £90,000-a-week Paul Scholes and £100,000-a-week England defender Rio Ferdinand. Ryan Giggs, Michael Carrick, Wes Brown and Wayne Rooney were also in the firing line.
Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player to escape punishment and a dressing-down. He missed the party to attend the World Player of the Year gala in Zurich. The United stars headed to the ill-fated Christmas do at the Great John Street Hotel after a marathon drinking session. Around 100 girl guests were personally selected by party organisers while all wives and girlfiends were barred. The squad's boozy trail started at the city centre's 235 casino, where they had a bet and ate lunch.
Then they moved to The Grapes pub for a karaoke session, with some taking a brief side-trip to a lapdancing bar. When they arrived at the luxury £395-a-night hotel—exclusively booked for the Red Devils' bash—champagne was flowing. But the party ended in shame and scandal. A pretty 19-year-old blonde was heard moaning as she was "roasted" in an orgy including three players.
A witness said they heard clapping and cheering coming from one of the rooms where five or six men were with the girl. The witness said the men were "shrieking like hyenas" and shouting: "Get in there!" After a few minutes the men filed out laughing and rushed downstairs for more booze. The girl then came staggering out boasting she'd just had sex with all the men. It is the second Christmas in a row Old Trafford boss Ferguson has berated his first team for shameful behaviour. Last year the team ran up a £43,000 bar bill and the venue was damaged by guests. An expensive painting was ripped off a wall and ornaments were destroyed.
Fergie's crackdown comes after a grim week for the Premiership's image. Newcastle bad boy Joey Barton was arrested after allegedly beating a man to the ground in a drunken brawl in Liverpool on Boxing Day. Last week the News of the World revealed how Manchester City star Micah Richards and a Premiership pal videoed themselves having sex with a girl in a toilet. And last month England's millionaire stars let the country down when it emerged three had sex with a girl in a hotel toilet the night before crashing out of Euro 2008 against Croatia.
Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor last night blasted the rogue stars' antics. He said: "Players are big personalities now and they're expected to do all they can on and off the field to be real role models. "The majority realise how fortunate they are and the debt they owe—but we need to remind them ALL.These are young men, many of whom have got a lot of money, and there's always going to be dangers and temptations.
"But they've got to learn how to cope."
