Yellow for Collymore for first offence

Drinking at the last chance saloon is an unfortunate metaphor perhaps, but Stan Collymore was left in little doubt yesterday that, after his drunken exploits in Spain on Tuesday evening, his continued employment by Leicester City depends on him not having another large double measure of trouble in the near future.

Martin O'Neill, Collymore's manager for the past seven days, has imposed a fine of two weeks' wages - around £30,000 -

and ordered his new striker to experience some community service "to see how the other half lives".

O'Neill said the punishment could be viewed as "in footballing parlance, a yellow card", although the Leicester manager added that he did not consider the episode with the fire extinguisher a sackable offence. One more yellow, however, and Leicester will seek to have his contract terminated.

O'Neill was a mixture of anger, contrition and embarrassment as he faced the press at Filbert Street. The club's visit to the exclusive resort of La Manga had been his idea, a re-grouping exercise before the League Cup final against Tranmere Rovers on Sunday week, but it has turned into a public relations disaster for a club that likes to see itself as community-spirited.

A Leicester City statement issued shortly before O'Neill's appearance in front of the cameras read: "The club has undertaken an investigation of the alleged actions of the squad in the last 24 hours in an attempt to establish exactly what happened. We are extremely concerned at the coverage of the trip and the negative effect it has had on the reputation of Leicester City Football Club. The players realise they have let down supporters and the club and wish to make a full and unreserved apology."

Not surprisingly, the controversial Collymore was not present to offer his, but he had told reporters: "I let it off over our physio, who was about two or three yards away. I will take the consequences and I do apologise to the manager. But we were just having a laugh with the lads. I feel bad that everybody has jumped on the bandwagon and that it has embarrassed the club." Community service was not mentioned.

It did sound like unconditional remorse, and it was left to O'Neill to try to explain away a tiresome, unwanted situation.

"My annoyance stems from a party of us representing the club not behaving properly," he said. "Sometimes I can put up with it, high jinks or whatever you want to call it, including letting off a fire extinguisher, but while those things were happening there were people queuing up here for tickets (for Wembley) all night. "I am not asking players to think responsibly all the time; however, there might just have been a thought that six thousand people were queuing for tickets to support us."

O'Neill always knew the risks involved with a volatile character like Collymore and said he thought sooner or later an incident featuring Collymore would arise. O'Neill did not think it would be days rather than months, though.

"I didn't expect it to come so quickly," he said, "but personally I believe it is not a sackable offence. He is extremely sorry. Stan admitted that the fire extinguisher going off was his responsibility. They had to get cleaning ladies in La Manga and they have sent the bill to us today."

The cleaning bill was for £700 and that, along with the cost of excess air fares and other travel, will be paid by the players. O'Neill said that he spoke to the La Manga resort managing director, Tony Coles, yesterday morning to clarify a couple of newspaper reports and both agreed that there were inaccuracies.

But, O'Neill added: "That is not the issue. The issue is that a fire extinguisher went off and that was the reason for the party being asked to leave. The major point is that in terms of behaviour I don't think that's acceptable, especially in the current climate when players' behaviour is under scrutiny.

"The two-week fine is the maximum I can do under PFA rules. He (Collymore) is still part of the team. He has been here six or seven days and, far from wanting to trivialise anything, I do believe he is entitled to another chance with us."

One small irony of the whole affair is that Collymore will not be appearing at Wembley. Having played for Fulham in a previous round, he is ineligible. His next outing for Leicester should be against Sunderland in a fortnight.

Collymore now knows he goes into that game on a yellow card from his new manager. Whether Collymore cares is another matter.