Sport 19-12-2001 "Thug" Bowyer Put On Transfer List who: Lee Bowyer what: Put on Leeds United transfer list for refusing to pay club fine where: Elland Road, LEEDS when: Yesterday snippet: "Shamed soccer star Lee Bowyer was sensationally dumped by Leeds United yesterday," reports the less-than-sympathetic Sun, "after refusing to pay a £64,000 fine for his drunken antics on a night that brought disgrace to his club." Last Friday, the 24 year-old former England under-21 captain was cleared of criminal charges relating to an attack on student Sarfraz Najeib in Leeds City centre, for which his friend Jonathan Woodgate was given 100 hours` community service. But the club imposed a fine of four weeks` wages for breaching the club`s code of conduct. "Leeds United have placed me on the transfer list against my wishes," says Bowyer in a statement repeated by today`s Telegraph. "The club informed me that if I do not accept the punishment imposed, which is in excess of the Professional Footballers` Association`s maximum, then I would not be selected for the first team and would be placed on the transfer list." "His brazen lack of remorse won him no sympathy," says The Mirror. "The bridges have been burned," says The Scotsman`s Ian Parkes, "instantly sparking rumours that Leeds have already received offers for a player likely to be valued at around £15million." And The Guardian points out that Bowyer will be entitled to 10% of that transfer fee - "enough to cover the £1m legal costs he was ordered to pay at last week`s trial." [... more]

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