Premier League - Chelsea sack starlet over stunt
Chelsea have sacked midfielder Jacob Mellis and fined another player after a smoke grenade was let off in the reserve-team dressing room.
The incident, which took place on March 2, led to a full evacuation of Chelsea?s training facility in Cobham.
Former Sheffield United trainee Mellis, 21, was dismissed after a "full and thorough investigation", the club said.
It is understood that Mellis set off the grenade, which was brought into the dressing room by Billy Clifford, 19, after a paintball session.
Clifford was fined by the club after he admitted bringing the item to work.
After joining from the Blades in 2007, Mellis made his first-team debut for Chelsea in 2010, but has only featured in a handful of cup games.
He has spent time on loan at Southampton and Barnsley and was an England U19 international.
At the time of the incident terrified players and staff members ran from the building, with fire marshals later brought in.
Owner Roman Abramovich was informed of the prank soon aftewards.
It is not the first time something of this nature has occurred at Cobham - last season, England full-back Ashley Cole brought an air rifle to the training ground and accidentally shot an intern.
He apologised to the student, who did not require hospital treatment, and it is understood he was warned by the club.
In a separate incident last year, a knife was found by cleaners in a dressing room, although the club claimed it was a work tool accidentally left behind by a building contractor.
Chelsea have sacked midfielder Jacob Mellis and fined another player after a smoke grenade was let off in the reserve-team dressing room.
The incident, which took place on March 2, led to a full evacuation of Chelsea?s training facility in Cobham.
Former Sheffield United trainee Mellis, 21, was dismissed after a "full and thorough investigation", the club said.
It is understood that Mellis set off the grenade, which was brought into the dressing room by Billy Clifford, 19, after a paintball session.
Clifford was fined by the club after he admitted bringing the item to work.
After joining from the Blades in 2007, Mellis made his first-team debut for Chelsea in 2010, but has only featured in a handful of cup games.
He has spent time on loan at Southampton and Barnsley and was an England U19 international.
At the time of the incident terrified players and staff members ran from the building, with fire marshals later brought in.
Owner Roman Abramovich was informed of the prank soon aftewards.
It is not the first time something of this nature has occurred at Cobham - last season, England full-back Ashley Cole brought an air rifle to the training ground and accidentally shot an intern.
He apologised to the student, who did not require hospital treatment, and it is understood he was warned by the club.
In a separate incident last year, a knife was found by cleaners in a dressing room, although the club claimed it was a work tool accidentally left behind by a building contractor.
Sir Alex Ferguson. 
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