Ten footballers who went to prison and returned to play the beautiful game, Arsenal and Liverpool legends included…
Players prefer to be known for their on-the-pitch performances rather than their off-field antics. Sometimes being in the spotlight is unavoidable however, especially when a prison sentence is involved.
A conviction doesn’t necessarily spell the end of your career though, with a number of players returning to the game after completing their sentences.
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Here are ten footballers who have been to prison but still returned to professional football, according to the Telegraph.
10) Joey Barton
QPR midfielder Joey Barton has been sentenced to ten months of prison time throughout his career, although he has actually only served 77 days.
During an incident in Liverpool in 2008 Barton was sentenced to six months for common assault and affray. He was then given a further four months after assaulting former team-mate Ousmane Dabo during a training ground argument later the same year.
9) Tony Adams
Arsenal legend Tony Adams was sentenced to for four months after a drink driving incident in 1990. The Gunners centre-back was found to be four times over the legal limit.
He was only required to complete half of his sentence before returning to Arsenal however.
8) Lee Hughes
Back in 2004 when Hughes was playing for West Bromwich Albion, the striker was given a six year prison sentence for causing a death through dangerous driving.
He was released in 2007 however, and returned to the game with Oldham Athletic.
7) Gary Croft
Croft spent a month in prison after being found guilty of driving while disqualified and perverting the course of justice. He returned to Ipswich in January 2000 and became the first professional footballer ever to play a match while wearing an electronic tag.
6) Marlon King
King has had three prison sentences in his lifetime, and is currently serving 18 months for dangerous driving. He was also sentenced to 18 months in 2009 for sexual assault which led to his contract with Wigan being cancelled.
5) Luke McCormick
The former Plymouth Argyle player was convicted of dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol in 2008. He was involved in a crash which killed two children, and was sentenced to seven years and four months.
He returned to league football with Oxford United in 2013, and then resigned for Plymouth and was even made the club captain.
4) Jan Molby
The former Liverpool man was sentenced to three months for dangerous driving in 1988, he returned immediately after his sentence and remained at the Merseyside club for a further eight years.
3) Jermaine Pennant
Former Arsenal star Jermaine pennant was given three months in prison for driving offences in 2005. He returned to Birmingham and played with an electronic tag before joining Liverpool a year later.
2) Micky Quinn
Quinn served 14 days in prison in 1987 due to twice breaching a driving ban. He still managed to become Portsmouth’s top scorer that season. An extremely impressive feat.
1) Duncan Ferguson
While playing for Rangers in 1995 Duncan ‘Big Dunc’ Ferguson was given a three-month sentence for an on-field assault on John McStay. When the conviction eventually came around Ferguson had already made the move to Everton and the Premier League.