Newcastle duo sorry for nightclub antics

Newcastle duo Leon Best and Stephen Ireland have apologised after they were spotted at a nightclub on Friday.

The pair were photographed at the Tup Tup Palace in Newcastle just a day before their side were dispelled 4-0 by Stoke City at Britania Stadium.Best and Ireland were not travelling to Stoke, but after the loss manager Alan Pardew was disappointed with the actions of both.”Although we had both been ruled out of the game at Stoke and didn’t travel with the team, we realise that going out to a bar was inappropriate ahead of Saturday’s game and we fully regret doing so,” a joint statement from the two released by Newcastle said.”We were asked to have our photograph taken and we removed our shirts as a tongue-in-cheek joke between friends, but of course the resulting coverage in the press suggests a far different night out.””Whilst our actions were wrong, neither of us had consumed alcohol and we were out for only a very short period of time.””However, with the team having an important game at Stoke the following day, we should never have put ourselves or the club in that position.”Best has scored six goals in 10 Premier League appearances this season, while Ireland, who joined Newcastle on loan from Aston Villa in January, is yet to play a game for the Tyneside club due to injury.