Real reason for Woodgates shock Real transfer

Draupnir

This appeared in the Spanish press yesterday or the day before, I obviously couldnt post it sooner and was surprised nodody else had picked up on it.

www.sport.es/default.asp?idpublicacio_PK=33&idioma

I have a translation, though not exact, it does the job:

"Jonathan Woodgate hasn't yet been able to make his Real Madrid debut, but is already on the verge of being immersed in a scandal of huge proportions which threatens to end his career and taint the name of Real Madrid in the process. According to sources close to Newcastle, his former club, the defender is being investigated by English police for the possession and consumption of intolerable quantities of cocaine. It appears that the police has corrobating evidence. This revelation could, if true, put serious pressure, not only on the player himself, but also on his president, Florentino Perez.

If all these allegations finally come to light, they would explain the unexpected, shock transfer which took English football by surprise, given that Newcastle got rid of a key player just before the start of the season, without having lined up a replacement. Woodgate's transfer was a complete surprise, taking place seemingly overnight, whilst all eyes were on Coloccini or Cannavaro, the two players with which the Madrid outfit were negotiating.

The magpies' chairman, Freddy Shepherd, presumably aware of the situation and that Woodgate's detention was a question of time, came to the conclusion that he should simply get rid of the problem, whilst at the same time taking advantage of Perez's desperation to satisfy the wishes of his coach, bring in some money, and sell the player to Real. Madrid's season promises to be hot."

Now I have heard of problems at Premiership clubs with coke before, I have a few friends playing in England, but it seems strange that Real would be the kind of club taking in drug charge dodgers. Strange indeed.

pickarooney

OK, it might make sense from Newcastle's point of view but what's in it for Real? A crocked defender with a bit of previous and an impending conviction on drugs charges, for 13 million pounds. Hardly the deal of the century.

KdjaCL

oh thats interesting , he is a decent defender hence the sale, the type real need when hes fit.

But everyone wondering why he was sold this if true would explain it.

kdjac

leeroybrown

If this story has any truth to it then Madrid certainly wouldn't have knowingly bought him. They're cavallier in the transfer market but not stupid.

Also based on the fact that most big continental transfers (and English ones now) are based on staggered payments Newcastle may well find subsequent payments witheld and if anything happens possible legal against them and/or his agents action based on the possibility of them knowing about the situation.

Draupnir

Does seem a bit far fetched to me too but I actually got this from a guy on a different forum who lives in Newcastle and he had been posting for a week before this article emerged that the talk around the club was that there is a fairly hefty cocaine issue and a lot of the players are involved.

For this reason, the newspaper story doesnt seem as unlikely. Still a bit odd that Real bought him though. Anybody know if they do drug tests at medicals?

p.pete

Draupnir wrote:

Does seem a bit far fetched to me too but I actually got this from a guy on a different forum who lives in Newcastle and he had been posting for a week before this article emerged that the talk around the club was that there is a fairly hefty cocaine issue and a lot of the players are involved.

What evidence does the Spanish paper have? hope it's more then "some bloke on a forum from Newcastle" because lets face it - articles have been writen on less and they could have exactly the same source and justification that you have.

Draupnir

Thats true enough pete, dont shoot the messenger here. I just thought Id throw this out there for people to read.

Where is Bannor these days? He usually has some insight into the Spanish media.

p.pete

Nah - I don't want to seem like I'm shooting the messenger. I find it a very interesting story but I find it hard to just accept the story for the moment until the story is more widespread. Certainly I definitely heard it here first

<edit>

Also I realise that just because something is widespread doesn't necesarrily make it any more true. Just means that enough newspapers think it a) newsworthy and b) backed up by enough evidence not to be a legal nightmare.

Draupnir

Id say the British press will steer way way clear of this anyway. Until they have a photo of Woodgate falling down the steps of a nightclub in Madrid covered in white power and with lumps of his septum falling off.

Its not exactly a new fact that cocaine is popular with pro footballers, but if there is a police investigation it will be a real first.

Xterminator

There was a rumour that an unnamed 'big' england star was caught on camera, with his nose in some powder, on one of the football groups i keep an eye on. (that was a week ago now.)

However the name bandied about was Wayne Rooney .. There was no proof, it was all speculation, but given his hooker associations, and that drugs & hookers are often hand in hand as it were, you wouldnt put it past some greedy individual to take a sneeky snap, if it was happening. (would you?)

so, again it did seem to have some logic. As for Woodgate, he has been a bad boy in the past, but the whole sale conpiricay theory doesnt ring true with me.

It is far more easily explained by his had injury problems, and shepard jumped at the chance to make a nice profit on a footballer who may never play 30 games a season. In my opinion!

X

The Rooster

A columnist in the Examiner on Monday said the News of the World were releasing a sensational (in a very bad way) story about an English footballer this weekend, and that the footballer could be making his first performance of the season on Monday (i.e in the ManU v LP game). This columinst has been wrong before, but was stating it as fact rather than belief (if you get my meaning).

Did Woodgate get off that time re the attack on the Asian bloke? Or was he found guily and handed a suspended sentence? I know little about law, so please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe any kind of misdemenour could trigger the implementation of a suspended sentence

mike65

this might help-

from teesside newspaper

Mike Underwood, Evening Gazette

A major Teesside heroin dealer arrested in a drugs swoop had been driving a car registered to Boro-born football star Jonathan Woodgate, it emerged today.

Detectives revealed Andrew Parker cruised Middlesbrough in the #28,000 BMW, which also still carried the Real Madrid player's initials in the number plate.

The discovery was made when Cleveland Police drugbusters arrested Parker and partner in crime Ian Bullen in a #180,000 heroin swoop last year.

The BMW was one of a fleet of vehicles owned by the former Leeds and Newcastle star which had registrations ending in his initials, JSW.

The car was still officially registered to Mr Woodgate according to police, although officers have confirmed that the footballer was not under any kind of investigation in relation to the case.

England star Mr Woodgate today said that he sold the convertible car three years ago and had never heard of Parker nor Bullen.

Mr Woodgate's agent, Simon Bayliff, today said: "Jonathan sold the car to a Scottish gentleman three years ago and all the documentation was sent through to him.

"He has never heard of the two gentlemen in the case."

The BMW - registered X6 JSW - is still in police possession and will now be subject to confiscation orders.

Detectives investigating the case were commended for their work in the drugs seizure by a Teesside Crown Court judge on Thursday.

As reported in last night's Gazette, Bullen was jailed for seven years but Parker is on the run after fleeing the court before sentence.

The duo were caught with 1.8kg of heroin after police raided a property in Bradhope Road, Berwick Hills, in September last year.

Detectives said Parker was a "major player" in Teesside's murky drugs world.

Detective Inspector Derek Carter, of Cleveland Police's Organised Crime Unit, said: "Parker may run but it will be only a matter of time before we catch up with him.

"Not only will Parker be given a lengthy prison sentence, he will face the full might of the new Proceeds of Crime legislation and be stripped of every asset acquired from his drug dealing.

"His bank accounts will be emptied and his home, jewellery and luxuries confiscated."

Det Insp Carter said arrogant Parker boasted about being the "number one" dealer on Teesside.

"He was a major player, but those who put themselves at the top come tumbling down very quickly, and we intend to leave him - and others like him - languishing in prison."

He added: "We have monitored some interesting comments made at the trial and witnesses called on Parker's behalf. Some of those people will be looked at very closely."

Parker tried to explain his money was due to dealing in cars. The court heard he claimed to be making between #1,000 and #3,000 a week selling vehicles, some going through Breeze cars, situated on Mandale Triangle, Thornaby.

Yet he had no garage of his own, kept no records and had not paid a penny in tax.

Two years ago Parker paid #32,000 for a council house in Overdale Road. He claimed he borrowed #20,000 from a relative towards the cost. That relative, who was not called to give evidence, was earning less than #5 an hour.

or it might not!

Mike.

shabbyroad

let's face it... that's enough for any of the tabloid scum to write up an article <big font> Woodgate Car </big font> <small font> which he sold 3 years ago </small font> <even bigger font> seized by police in cocaine bust </even bigger font>

The Muppet

There is something not quite right about that story. Its the personal number plates bit that doesn,t ring true. People who spend money on those normally hang onto them when they sell their car to sell them with the car sounds a bit fishy to me.

DapperGent

I dunno about woodgate but I did hear about a "recently transfered" England player who was photographed with his nose in a bowl of coke.

No smoke without fire with the majority of these stories, ie the tabs usually have some form of crowd pleasing nastiness up thier collective cancerous arses. Whether it's woodgate or some other overpaid fúck I dunno.