Sunderland sack top prospect

A Sunderland player who tested positive for cocaine and cannabis has been fired by the English Premier League club.

Academy defender Lewis Gibbons failed the drugs test after a youth team match in September, although the two-year ban from football has only now been announced by the English Football Association.

A week after that match against Aston Villa, Gibbons captained Sunderland Under-18s against Manchester United.

Sunderland says "a club investigation also took place at the time and his scholarship with Sunderland was cancelled with immediate effect."

Sunderland chief executive Margaret Byrne added that the club supports a "rigorous testing program" and educates its young players about the "enormous dangers of drug use."

 

Fooking hell!!!

 

I don't think the correct decision has been made. He's young, obviously bundles of talent and we release him, somebody out there will take him on. Education and support should have been the way forward for this young man, not release him and then he maybes go's on to be a star.


..... and besides, he would have needed the cannibas to bring him down from the cocaine.

 

Zero tollerance

 

absolutely right imo. sheer stupidity.
he knew the consequenses. no excuses.

 

Don't care what talent he's got, get rid the same as the porn-phone wallahs. Don't want the Bartons etc of this world at our club thank you

 

Why didn't he just 'forget' like Rio when he was on the chalk

 

Rio only got half the ban too.

 

I'm pleased Sunderland are taking a stand this can only benifits players and the game.

Too often people are forgiven their sins because they have some talent.

 

I'm all for giving people a second chance, so if this was a first offence I think it's a bit harsh..

 

I concur.

If very ****er that had a spliff & a sniff got fired there'd be about 12 people grafting in the country.

 

Have To Agree With The Last Two Post's (that's if it was he's first time, as said above) ktf.

 

SHould've been banned for life regardless of how good he is. The club did the right thing getting rid

 

You're a hard man marra..I hope that you are not on the jury panel if I'm ever in the dock..

 

It's ok RAW - I know you so you'd get away with 25-life rather than a full lifetime ban!!

 

and a couple of beers. a bit more nurturing is surely a better way to deal with this, although I presume the club sets its stall out early with regards to the zero tolerance rule and has to act on it.

 

Call it a bad decision by the lad , or lack of discipline on his part , but the top clubs won't want him after this.

The club do seem to have acted swiftly , and if this was his first mistake , overly harsh in my opinion.

Life in the lower leagues beckons , he won't starve.

 

Lewis Gibbons should not have got involved with that monkey business.....

I'll get my coat

 

If the authorities cannot ban the idiot for life then I propose we have the little **** shot!

 

This is ridiculous.

IMO only performance enhancing drugs should get you the sack.