Newcastle star Matt Ritchie has admitted that he has his first beer in over two years this week… just so he could urinate for a drugs test.
The Scotland international has been tee-total since he was a teenager but found himself in a predicament earlier this week as drug testers called round to his house to take an out-of-competition sample.
“I had a knock on my door at 8.45pm – it was the drug testers,” he told The Sun. “And to try and make myself have a wee, I had my first beer since my wedding day two years ago!”
It was something of a special event for the 28-year-old midfielder, who restrained himself even after Newcastle claimed the Championship title in May.
“Even when we won the league I didn’t have a glass of champagne. I had a lime and soda with my meal.
“I will probably get labelled boring for that but I want to give myself the best opportunity to be the best I can be.”
It was announced earlier this month that Ritchie sells more shirts with his name on their back than the likes of Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar.
“If someone had said to me five years ago that this would be the case, I would have laughed at them,” he admitted.
“The fans have been fantastic to me since I’ve been here and the least I can do is give everything for them.
“Sometimes I won’t be having the best of games, but one quality I have is that I’ll never hide.”
Ritchie has played four Premier League matches so far this season and has two assists to his credit already.