Arsène Wenger gets tough with smoking ban

Szczesny could be fined by the club following reports he smoked in the showers defeat by Southampton on New Year's Day
Szczesny could be fined by the club following reports he smoked in the showers defeat by Southampton on New Year's Day
JOHN WALTON/PA

Arsène Wenger has laid down the law to his Arsenal players by telling them that any of them caught smoking on club duty from now on will be sent to train with the youth team for the rest of the season.

It is understood that Wojciech Szczesny’s ill-advised puff in the shower after the defeat by Southampton on New Year’s Day was not the first time that an Arsenal player has been apprehended for smoking in the dressing room and Wenger has resolved to clamp down.

Szczesny was not singled out for criticism when Wenger addressed his players on the subject this week, the manager instead making it clear to the squad that any repeat of the goalkeeper’s actions would be punished severely. The Poland