Sickening … highly-paid Premier League star using cash as toilet roll
IT’S a photo that will enrage hard-working football fans across Britain.
West Brom defender Liam Ridgewell, 28, squats over a toilet and wipes his backside with a wad of £20 notes.
Scattered on the floor in front of him are dozens more £20 notes, totalling almost £1,000.
The Premier League star, who earns at least £20,000 a week, is apparently using the cash instead of toilet roll.
He claims the sick stunt was simply a “joke” to wind up a friend — but it will infuriate more than just his pal.
Ridgewell’s weekly wage is equivalent to the average annual salary in the West Midlands — one of the most deprived areas in the country.
The disgraceful snap — taken in the bathroom of Ridgewell’s £1.5million home in Barnt Green, Birmingham — was sent to The Sun by a West Brom fan who asked not to be named.
He said: “The people of West Bromwich earn a fraction of what this idiot earns yet he makes a mockery of his good fortune like this. It makes me sick.
“We’ve always thought footballers were arrogant, overpaid buffoons and this just proves it.”
Ridgewell, an unused sub in his side’s 1-0 defeat to Stoke yesterday, apologised last night.
He said: “The photo was taken in the privacy of my home around eight months ago as a joke to wind up a mate, who I had just won a personal bet with.
“I only intended him to see the photo but now it’s public, I can understand how it will be viewed. I am sorry for any offence it causes.”
A spokesman for West Brom, currently fifth in the Premier League, said: “This is a private issue for Liam that has become public.
“It does not put the club in a good light and we will deal with the matter internally.
“Since Liam joined us 11 months ago, his conduct on club duty has been exemplary.”
West Brom fans at yesterday’s home game at The Hawthorns were shown the picture — and most reacted with disbelief.
Carpet fitter Ryan Walker, 24, said: “It’s insensitive to fans who have to scrape money together just to see him play.
“You wouldn’t catch me doing that with a £20 note.”
Painter Robert Jones, 38, said: “Even though he did it for a bet he should give a bit more thought to what kids who see it might think.
“It’s not doing much for the image of footballers.
“I’d be interested to hear what the Queen has to say about it too. He’d have been hung for that 100 years ago.”
But engineer Warren May, 44, said: “It’s up to him what he does — he’s just having a laugh.”
Ridgewell split from fiancee Kirsty Maclaren last year — eight days before their wedding.
14 Responses to Sickening … highly-paid Premier League star using cash as toilet roll
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Tunde Ayeni
December 3, 2012 at 2:27 pm
He is totally insane, somebody should help him before it get out of hands
adeyemo tunde
December 3, 2012 at 2:43 pm
This is a total abuse of what God has bestowed on you free of charge…though,its your money but yet morally it is wrong to do this cos there A̶̲̥̅̊я̲̣̥ε̲̣̣̣̥ so many out there who still can not afford half of what U̶̲̥̅̊ earn per day.
Abisemma
December 3, 2012 at 3:00 pm
It just a flexi guy, 2 much money. Hahahaha!
lnaro
December 3, 2012 at 3:06 pm
tell god is bad boy balo, bcos dèy goin 2 say it black morkin
lnaro
December 3, 2012 at 3:08 pm
tell god is ñot bad boy balo, bcos dèy goin 2 say it black morkin
kenny
December 3, 2012 at 3:19 pm
I̶̲̥̅̊s̶̲̥̅̊ non of ma business
Augustine B yatin
December 3, 2012 at 3:29 pm
Crazy man that does not make sense.ur rich on earth but poor in eternity.if it is true then leave it in d toilet.d guy wl take d money and wash it for use again
emmanuel
December 3, 2012 at 3:56 pm
God is alive
Salawudeen Nueisa
December 3, 2012 at 5:47 pm
Everything is vernity! Vernity upon Vernity.
prince Ben
December 3, 2012 at 6:10 pm
That’s about 250,000 naira here in 9ja. Na waoh! Wey I dey here dey find 100k…. God dey sha
ayorinde
December 3, 2012 at 6:43 pm
Why.
OBOMA JUDY
December 3, 2012 at 9:08 pm
wao ooo
Kunle
December 3, 2012 at 10:49 pm
The guy is an ingrate….complete idiot
prakash
December 4, 2012 at 6:28 am
send him to court , let me see if the Britain will keep silent in this nonsense , we are talking about high currency in the hold world.