There's always been something of a drinking culture at Newcastle - particularly when it comes to the infamous Christmas parties that usually end up with players in fancy dress being photographed in various states of inebriation (which lead last year to the adoption of the term "Yanga'd" to mean overly refreshed). The most ridiculous story that surfaced after one Christmas part - back in 2002 - when Clarence Acuna was pulled over and banned after the fancy dress Christmas party, with a hefty fine of £1000 handed down for his silliness in getting behind the wheel while inebriated. The 27-year-old Chilean was pulled over in his Mercedes and found to be over the limit, as well as being dressed as Captain Hook. He had apparently decided to take his car in case anyone saw him dressed as the pirate and wanted to avoid embarrassment. That didn't exactly turn out as he had planned. His solicitor defended his idiocy:
"He went to the event to see his friends and colleagues. He had not been planning to stay out all night. Unfortunately he was persuaded to stay out and he had more to drink that he should have done. "He foolishly drove back home. He took the car because he was in fancy dress and didn't want to be seen."
