I made my Premier League debut for Arsenal hungover – sorry Arsene Wenger

Jermaine Pennant has said ‘sorry’ to Arsene Wenger for being hungover connected his afloat Premier League debut for Arsenal against Southampton.

Pennant was thrown into the Arsenal XI for the archetypal clip successful May 2003, scoring a hat-trick successful a 6-1 triumph contempt heavy drinking the nighttime before.

The 41-year-old drank tons of intoxicant – including tequila – arsenic helium partied each nighttime astatine an lawsuit hosted by FHM, a erstwhile printed men’s manner magazine, getting hardly immoderate slumber up of the biggest infinitesimal of his career.

Pennant has acknowledged his behaviour was unprofessional and has issued an apology to Wenger aft trying to fell the odor of vodka connected his enactment and adjacent plotting to get himself substituted aboriginal into the match.

‘FHM was a fantastic magazine,’ Pennant told talkSPORT. ‘It was brilliant. Top notch. Top tier. I deliberation it’s up determination with Loaded. Anway, they had a enactment connected the Friday. You tin ideate what benignant of enactment it was like.

‘All the boys were going. Ashley Cole went. But helium wasn’t successful the squad. He was being rested for immoderate reason. He had the play off. I was successful the squad. That’s each I knew.

‘My sanction was connected the (squad) list. I was told astir 11.30 astatine the hotel. I’ve ne'er started, truthful I thought thing would change, worst lawsuit scenario… no, champion lawsuit scenario… I americium connected the seat and I travel connected for the past 5 minutes.

‘I was thinking, you cognize what, is it worthy it? And I thought, yeah. It’s the FHM party. Of people it’s worthy it. The boys were telling maine not to bash it and that I was going to start.

‘I was saying, ‘absolutely not’ – I’m not going to commencement successful beforehand of these different guys. There wasn’t a chance. I said I would beryllium location by 12am, they were fuming. I wouldn’t beryllium dormant if I was astatine location anyway. I spell out, they disregard maine for a bit, each the boys, due to the fact that they are raging.

‘I spell to the enactment and it is bouncing. I said I’ll person 1 cheeky one. Next happening you know, it’s 4am. Shots are out. Tequilas. Sambucas. So I get successful astatine 6.30am. I’ve got to study successful astatine 11am. I’ve had 3 hours sleep.

‘I spell determination and I’m like, ‘Oh my god, what person I done’ – Arsene (Wenger) is trying to speech to me. I’m looking the different mode truthful helium can’t odor the vodka. I was 21. You cognize what I mean? I wouldn’t counsel it now!

‘I felt sick [when I was saw my sanction successful the starting line-up]. I was reasoning I would beryllium connected the seat with a load of Lucozade and I could retrieve that way.

‘He said my sanction and I had to treble take. I thought helium said Parlour! Patrick Vieira is telling me, ‘this is your time’ – and I’m like, nary Pat, it’s not, permission maine out!

‘I’m thinking, what tin I bash to get subbed off? I’m successful nary acceptable authorities to play 90 minutes. Then I scored.

‘Then I thought I’d hold till half-time. Then I scored again. Then I got the hat-trick. Then I thought, ‘I’m staying on!’ – atrocious Arsene. It wasn’t precise professional.’

Arsenal signed Pennant from Notts County successful 1999 but helium lone made 26 appearances implicit a six-year spell earlier helium was sold to Birmingham City.

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