Zat Knight Arrested Shocker!

My word, this could only happen at Villa. Hours before the press conference to unveil Zat Knight as Villa’s latest (in a not so long line) signing, the player was arrested along with his brother and held at Aston police station for six hours.

In a report in today’s Sun, it is claimed he was taken away in handcuffs following an armed raid by the drug squad from his moms house in Edgbaston.

They also say his 26-year-old brother was taken away (then they have to add to sensationalise it, that he was only in his pants and was taken at gunpoint, well if the police were armed I think most readers would assume they were taken away at gunpoint and the police were ‘backed up by dogs’ according to the report!)

The report claims substances, thought to be crack cocaine and heroin, were seized at the moms house and another address, again according to The Sun thought to be Zat’s address, was also raided.

Don’t you just love how The Sun word things? They say: ‘Zat was banged up in police cells at Queen’s Road station in Aston.’ Banged up?!

A spokesman for the West Midlands Police said: “Police have carried out a warrant under the Misuse of Drugs and Firearms Act this morning at an address in Erdington. Two men, aged 26 and 27, were arrested on suspicion of Class A drugs offences. The 27-year-old man has since been released on police bail. The 26-year-old man continues to help with inquiries. A quantity of controlled drugs was seized.”

Zat didn’t impress the Fulham fans last year when he had to miss a series of games following a ‘play fight’ with his brother which resulted in Zat’s jaw being broken.

Super. Just what we need.

Meanwhile, more focused on the football, Zat says he is looking to force his way back into the international arena with England. Zat was capped twice in 2005. The defender said:

‘I’m really looking forward to the challenge of playing for such an ambitious club as Villa. There are a few English players in the Villa side and obviously the England manager will take more notice and watch a few more games in which I am involved unlike when I was at Fulham where I was the only Englishman in the team.’ I wouldn’t bank on it Zat.

Adding, ‘First and foremost I have to be doing it well for Villa. If I am playing week in and week out for Villa and doing well then I see no reason why I cannot get into the England team.’

Zat also said his hero was God aka Paul McGrath. Martin O’Neill answered: ‘Paul McGrath was that good he didn’t have to train. Once you get to that stage you can take weeks off!’

And on the signing, O’Neill said:

‘If another signing doesn’t materialise people can adjust. Olof Mellberg has played in that position in an accomplished fashion both for club and country. I will wait to see what happens in the next couple of days.’

Sorry, not good enough. Mellberg is a central defender, he doesn’t have the speed to get forward and attack as modern day right-backs have to. We’ve had all summer to bring in a right-back or two, what did we do? Yup, sell one.

O’Neill continued: ‘I do want to strengthen the side and Zat has come in to improve the team. If he stays clear of serious injury he will be terrific for us. I’ve watched him for the last couple of years. When I was out of the game I watched a lot of Fulham games. I wouldn’t be spending money if he wasn’t a quality player. I mulled it over for some time and thought he was really worth going for.’