Michael Chopra: 'Newcastle United players gambled £30,000 on team bus'

Blackpool striker Michael Chopra has revealed that he and a number of his former Newcastle United teammates would gamble up to £30,000 on the team bus.

The 29-year-old told Newcastle Crown Court the details during a cocaine trial where he is acting as a witness.

"Players would gamble on the bus and I got involved," the Daily Star quotes Chopra as saying. "We would take anything up to £30,000. We would go to the bank before and take out the money. It was part of team bonding."

The former Ipswich Town player, who has been open about his previous gambling problems, is involved in the trial due to £50,000 in cash being found in a Jaguar car.

The prosecution have claimed that the large sum is drug money.