Whether it’s Mario Ballotelli throwing darts at youth team players or Ashley Cole shooting a work experience student with an air rifle, those crazy Premier League stars just can’t get enough of practical jokes that could seriously injure another less-well-paid human being.
Usually such casual maimings only warrant a slap on the wrist from their clubs but, unfortunately for Chelsea midfielder Jacob Mellis, he’s not considered famous enough to be let off the hook after setting off a smoke grenade in the club’s Cobham training ground. Fire fighters were called to the incident and the area had to be evacuated for several hours. Even worse, the smoke really messed up Fernando Torres’ hair.
Mellis, 21, was released by Chelsea after a “full and thorough” investigation into the incident, which took place last month. Mellis joined Chelsea from Sheffield United five years ago and made his debut in the Champions League win against Zilina in November 2010.
Team-mate Billy Clifford, 19, admitted bringing in the grenade and was fined.
Another dubious incident at the Chelsea training ground occurred late last year when a knife was discovered by cleaning staff in a dressing room at the complex, although this was thought to have belonged to a building contractor on the site.
And just two weeks ago, Didier Drogba dressed up like a Voodoo priest and ritually slaughtered 12 virgins and a goat in the centre circle at Stamford Bridge before a European match against Napoli in a bid to invoke the aid of the Dark One.
As Chelsea went on to the win the match, his one-week fine was overturned.
“You can’t kill what cannot be kilt!” yelled Drogba in white face paint before vanishing in a puff of smoke.
