West Bromwich defender Liam Ridgewell won a bet with a friend about eight months ago and took the picture you see to the right as a way of gloating. He didn't tweet it or post it to his facebook account by accident, but somehow someone got a hold of it and sent it to the tabloids. You won't find a more direct and descriptive lede.
West Brom defender Liam Ridgewell, 28, squats over a toilet and wipes his backside with a wad of £20 notes.
The Sun, not settling to just remind the reader each paragraph that Ridgewell is filthy rich, showed the picture to fans at the game yesterday against Stoke City for some man-on-the-street responses.
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."
A fair point.
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 is true, kids have a low tolerance for potty humor.
"It's not doing much for the image of footballers.
You know what, though? We're with painter Robert Jones on this one—this whole thing stinks and we've got to take it all the way to the top.
"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."
h/t tomuban
The vilest footballer in Britain [The Sun]