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Bolton Wanderers are investigating an incident after player Josh Vela was ejected from a restaurant where he was said to have threatened and sworn at staff.
The alleged incident at Chorley Old Road’s Retreat on Sunday afternoon, was described by one diner as “an absolute disgrace” after the footballer and a friend were ordered out by management.
A Wanderers club spokesman confirmed it was aware of the claim and was investigating it internally
One diner, who was with his wife, told The Bolton News: “The group of about eight people including David Wheater and Josh Vela were drinking in a roped off area of the bar for most of the afternoon and by the late afternoon the restaurant was full of families and couples. The noise coming from that area got louder and louder and there was a lot of bad language.
“A young member of the bar staff was serving when Vela said something to him, which clearly upset the young lad and when the lad reacted verbally, it is alleged Vela said: ‘Take it outside, I will knock you out’.
“You could hear the foul language right across the restaurant and when a duty manager at the restaurant told Vela he would have to leave, he told her he would ‘knock her out’ as well.”
“While all this was going on Mr Wheater was trying to calm the situation down.”
Another diner said: “I told them to phone the police because I genuinely thought somebody was going to get hurt. It lasted for 25 minutes and it still went on outside in the car park.”
A spokeswoman for Retreat said: “We had one footballer who always behaves himself who remained in the restaurant. Unfortunately two other people whose behaviour fell below standard, were moved outside where a taxi was waiting.”
Salford born Vela, aged 23, was an academy teenager with Wanderers who rejected a £1m bid from Liverpool FC. As a defender/midfielder he has played more than 100 times for the club.
A Bolton Wanderers FC spokesman said: “We are aware of an incident that took place on Sunday and the matter is being dealt with internally.”
The police were not called to the restaurant.
Source
The alleged incident at Chorley Old Road’s Retreat on Sunday afternoon, was described by one diner as “an absolute disgrace” after the footballer and a friend were ordered out by management.
A Wanderers club spokesman confirmed it was aware of the claim and was investigating it internally
One diner, who was with his wife, told The Bolton News: “The group of about eight people including David Wheater and Josh Vela were drinking in a roped off area of the bar for most of the afternoon and by the late afternoon the restaurant was full of families and couples. The noise coming from that area got louder and louder and there was a lot of bad language.
“A young member of the bar staff was serving when Vela said something to him, which clearly upset the young lad and when the lad reacted verbally, it is alleged Vela said: ‘Take it outside, I will knock you out’.
“You could hear the foul language right across the restaurant and when a duty manager at the restaurant told Vela he would have to leave, he told her he would ‘knock her out’ as well.”
“While all this was going on Mr Wheater was trying to calm the situation down.”
Another diner said: “I told them to phone the police because I genuinely thought somebody was going to get hurt. It lasted for 25 minutes and it still went on outside in the car park.”
A spokeswoman for Retreat said: “We had one footballer who always behaves himself who remained in the restaurant. Unfortunately two other people whose behaviour fell below standard, were moved outside where a taxi was waiting.”
Salford born Vela, aged 23, was an academy teenager with Wanderers who rejected a £1m bid from Liverpool FC. As a defender/midfielder he has played more than 100 times for the club.
A Bolton Wanderers FC spokesman said: “We are aware of an incident that took place on Sunday and the matter is being dealt with internally.”
The police were not called to the restaurant.
Source
