Cole's shooting scandal, And five other Chelsea sinners...

• zocoss

  27 Feb 11, 09:24

  Chelsea defender Ashley Cole shoots student at club's training ground

  England left-back Cole, 30, was 'larking about' with a .22 air rifle when he fired at the work experience student from five feet away

  

  Ashley Cole was reported to have been 'larking about'. Photograph: Stephen Pond/EMPICS Sport

   

   

   

  England defender Ashley Cole accidentally shot and wounded a 21-year-old student on work experience at his club's Cobham training ground, it was revealed last night.

  The Chelsea left-back was reported to have been "larking about" with a .22 calibre air rifle when he fired at student Tom Cowan from just five feet away.

  Sources at Chelsea Football Club told the News of the World how Cowan was treated by medics at the ground and allowed to rest following the incident. But two days later the wound was still weeping and he was tended to again by medical staff.

  "It's truly inconceivable that a Premier League footballer could bring a gun to the training ground," a source said. "But Ashley pulled the rifle from a box and started larking about with it in the changing room."

  Former Arsenal star Cole, 30, arrived at Chelsea's Cobham training ground in Surrey holding the weapon, complete with a muzzle and nightscope, last week. The incident was witnessed by a dozen members of staff, but Cole claimed he was unaware that the rifle was loaded. Cowan, a Loughborough University sports science student, was at the team's training ground as part of a year's work placement with Chelsea.

  On Wednesday, he was called into a three-hour meeting with "deeply worried" Chelsea officials to discuss the accident, and a day later his father, Ronald, a 51-year-old quantity surveyor, held a second meeting at the club where he demanded to know what action would be taken against Cole.

  A .22 air rifle is the most powerful type of weapon that can be legally owned in Britain without a licence. Under British law the incident could be deemed actual bodily harm which carries a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment and an unlimited fine.

  Cole, who earns £110,000 a week, is reported to have been given a severe dressing down, and has formally apologised to Cowan.

  It is not the first time that Chelsea's Surrey training facility has been at the centre of controversy. In December 2009, the club's captain, John Terry, was caught asking for a £10,000 cash payment to secure behind-the-scenes tours for various individuals without the permission of manager.

  Terry later claimed that the proceeds of the tours had been given to charity.

• Bus&Soccer l0v3r (VO3x 1)

  27 Feb 11, 09:27

  see lar

   

  gt air rifle dun anyhow shoot

  still can say i dun knw it loaded with bullets

   

  FAIL

• ThisIsSacrifice

  27 Feb 11, 10:41

  CAN LIKE THAT ONE MEH?!

  Shoot someone can say dunno gun got bullet?

• fudgester

  27 Feb 11, 10:51

  What if he shot the student, and the student dropped dead? What will he tell the kid's mother then?

  'Oops.... sorry ma'am, I forgot the air rifle was loaded'.

  Air rifles are no joke. They can kill at close range.

  And I think five feet (1.5m) is considered close range.

• zocoss

  27 Feb 11, 11:20

  What was he doing larking about with a rifle in the changing room anyway?

  That's the real question...

   

  Now, it looks like Chelsea will have to pay a heavy 'compensation' to make it go away or Cole could land in prison...

  The small size that he is and his rumoured gay past... He could be in for some 'cockmeat' sandwich... lol.

  Anyone watched Harold & Kumar... lol. So funny that movie...

• CKeer

  27 Feb 11, 11:44

  He should join the army. Confirm sign extras for free.

• zocoss

  27 Feb 11, 12:51

  Ashley Cole accidentally shoots fan with an air rifle at Chelsea training ground
  

   

  

  The weapon: A .22 air rifle gun like the one Cole is believed to have shot Tom with

   

   

  Ashley Cole has been rapped by his bosses at Chelsea Football Club after he shot a work placement student with an air rifle.

  According to reports, the footballer accidentally shot 21-year-old Tom Cowan from just 5ft away as he 'larked about' with a high-powered .22 rifle at the club's training ground.

  The News of the World said he wounded the intern who was given medical treatment on the spot, but two days later the wound was still weeping and had to be treated again.

  A source told the paper: 'It's truly inconceivable that a Premier League footballer could bring a gun to the training ground. 'But Ashley pulled the rifle from a box and started larking about with it in the changing room.

  'Cole didn't know the gun was loaded but it's a disgrace. His behaviour beggars belief.'

  The incident is believed to have happened last Sunday morning when £110,00-a-week Cole, 30, arrived for training at the Chelsea's Cobham training ground in Surrey holding the weapon, complete with a muzzle and nightscope.

  The .22 air rifle is the most powerful gun that can be owned in the UK without a licence and if misused, it can kill.

  Tom is a Loughborough sports student on a year's internship with the west London club.

  Sources at Chelsea said: 'Tom screamed as this lead pellet hit him in the side. He was bleeding profusely.

  'He was in agony and seemed to go into shock as he steadied himself  and sat down on one of the benches.'

  Tom was given two days off to recover and on Wednesday, was reportedly asked to attend a meeting with Chelsea bosses, who are believed to have gone into 'lockdown' over the incident and are 'deeply worried'.

  The source added: ' A professional footballer bringing a gun to training is not just overstepping the mark, it's taking a running leap over it.'

  It is understood that Cole has been reprimanded by his bosses at Chelsea and had also apologised to Tom.

  But Tom's father Ronald, is said to be furious and is demanding to know what action will be taken against the England player.

  The source said: 'He needs to know that Cole realises the consequences of his actions.'

• mrwonderful

  27 Feb 11, 18:52

  shot from five feet? the gun itself is about four feet long...

• iceFatboy

  28 Feb 11, 13:55

  Originally posted by mrwonderful:

  shot from five feet? the gun itself is about four feet long...

  i would imagine they measure the five feet the tip of barrel to the boy who got shot.

• iceFatboy

  28 Feb 11, 13:57

  the key is the right "hole" is covered with enough oil $$, and it goes away..

• zocoss

  28 Feb 11, 21:24

  POLICE TO PROBE COLE `SHOOTING` CLAIM

  

  Police will speak to officials from Chelsea in the coming days following reports that defender Ashley Cole accidentally shot a work placement student at the football club's training ground.

  The club said it was taking "appropriate action" over the matter.

  The News of the World reported that Cole did not know a .22 air rifle was loaded when he fired it at 21-year-old Tom Cowan.

  It was reported that the sports sciences student, who is on a one-year work placement at Chelsea, was hit in the side by a lead pellet at the training ground in Cobham.

  Chelsea's medical staff reportedly treated the bleeding wound and Cowan did not require hospital treatment.

  A club statement read: "We have fully investigated the incident and we are taking appropriate action. We will not be commenting further as it is an internal matter."

  A Surrey police spokesman said: "We can confirm that while no direct allegation has been made to Surrey police, the matter has been brought to our attention through reports in the media, and we will be contacting the club in due course to establish whether any criminal offence has been committed."

   

• the Bear

  28 Feb 11, 21:54

  => NMAtv's take on this

  with lots of bloody animation  

• zocoss

  28 Feb 11, 22:15

  Carlo under fire as 'shooting' probed

  The issue of indiscipline at Chelsea has been growing for a number of months.

   

  

  GettyImagesAshley Cole and Carlo Ancelotti: In spotlight after incident

   

   

  Police are to investigate reports that Ashley Cole accidentally shot a student with an air rifle at Chelsea's training ground, an incident that has left Carlo Ancelotti's future in the balance after the club's hierarchy met to discuss the indiscipline creeping into the dressing room.

  Chelsea defender Cole is said to have accidentally shot 21-year-old Tom Cowan, who had to be treated by the club's medical staff after being hit in the side by a lead pellet, with a .22 rifle last Sunday.

  The incident was originally kept under wraps but Surrey police have now said they will look into the incident after being alerted by the press to what has become a hugely embarrassing incident for Chelsea.

  A Surrey police spokesman said: "We can confirm that, while no direct allegation has been made to Surrey police, the matter has been brought to our attention through reports in the media, and we will be contacting the club in due course to establish whether any criminal offence has been committed."

  Questions have been raised as to why Cole, 30, had an air rifle at the training ground in the first place and ESPNsoccernet has been told that the issue of indiscipline at Chelsea has been growing for a number of months.

  A Chelsea source said: "The problem of lax discipline has been one going around the club for some time now. The incident with Ashley Cole only adds to the feeling that the manager is not exercising full control over the players."

  The Blues' board met at Stamford Bridge toward the end of the week, and there is a view that Ancelotti might not see out this season if there is any danger of the team failing to finish in the top four and qualifying for the Champions League.

  Roman Abramovich has already given thought to the notion that Guus Hiddink could return to West London, although the Turkey boss has indicated that he would prefer the role as a technical/sporting director in successor to Frank Arnesen.

• zocoss

  4 Mar 11, 11:00

  After Cole's shooting scandal, Sportsmail remembers five other Chelsea sinners...

  

  Cole of duty: Several internet virals depicting Ashley Cole with an air ridle have emerged since his shameful behaviour came to light

  FRIDAY FIVE

  Forget Tuesday’s win over Manchester United, it’s been a tough old week off the field for champions Chelsea.

  Particularly for boss Carlo Ancelotti, who was plunged into the firing line and left to deny claims that his squad are unruly and out of control after Ashley Cole shot 21-year-old work placement student Tom Cowan with an air rifle.

  Indeed, it was yet another blow for the club’s reputation, following on from a string of controversies involving star players that have blighted the Blues in recent times.

  Sportsmail takes a look back at the other Chelsea bad boys whose troublemaking brought shame on the club and caused a stir in the headlines.

   

  Dennis Wise

  The combative midfielder was twice voted the club’s player of the year and skippered the Blues to victory in the FA Cup in 1997 and 2000, as well as the League Cup and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1998.

  But Wise was stripped of the captaincy back in 1995 after he was dealt a three-month jail sentence for assaulting a London cab driver.
  

  The verdict was later overturned on appeal but Sir Alex Ferguson once said Wise could 'start a fire in an empty house.'

  John Terry

   

  

  Caught out: Wayne Bridge refused to shake John Terry's hand following his alleged affair with his former team-mates girlfriend

   

   

  Current Chelsea captain Terry lost the armband of the national side after allegations of his affair with England team-mate Wayne Bridge's ex-girlfriend came to light.

  But his antics didn't start there. He had a penchant for partying and missed the 2002 World Cup because of a lawsuit over a nightclub skirmish. He was derided for questionable money-making schemes.

  And his family even got in on the act, with his mother cautioned for shoplifting and his Dad selling drugs to an undercover reporter.

   

  Jody Morris

  Morris was once Terry's partner-in-crime. Along with several others, the two were fined for mocking US tourists at Heathrow after the atrocities of 9/11 and both were charged with assault and affray at a London nightclub in 2002.

  They were also fined for being out late before an FA Cup match against Norwich in the same year.

  The midfielder didn't change after leaving Chelsea either and was later accused of sexual assault and shamefully arrested for drink-driving.

   

  Mark Bosnich

  

  Feeling blue: Mark Bosnich was troubled by a string of controversies during his brief spell at Stamford Bridge

   

  Goalkeeper Bosnich signed for Chelsea on a free transfer from Manchester United but was plagued by fitness problems from the off. In September 2002 he was sensationally sacked after failing a drugs test and banned from football for nine months.

  He developed a serious cocaine habit and at one point shot his father with an air rifle. The Australian returned to his home country in 2008.

   

  Adrian Mutu

  

  Testing times: Chelsea sacked £15.8million drug-shamed striker Adrian Mutu after he was banned for seven-months

   

   

  After an impressive start to life at Stamford Bridge following his £15.8million arrival from Parma, things soon went downhill for the Romanian.

  He and boss Jose Mourinho clashed over claims the striker was injured for a 2004 World Cup match. He then tested positive for cocaine in September 2004 and was dismissed a month later, receiving a hefty fine and a global seven-month ban.

  Chelsea sued for breach of contract in 2005, and last June he was ordered to pay a record £14.5m compensation fee to his former employers.