POLICE CALLED IN AS TOTTENHAM ARE SICK ON TWO COUNTS

Last updated : 08 May 2006 By Ed

The Mail:

Tottenham needed to win the match to clinch fourth place in the Premiership and - barring Arsenal winning this year's Champions League final - a Champions League place next season, but lost the match 2-1.

Arsenal, who were one point behind their north London rivals before yesterday's matches, beat Wigan 4-2 to grab fourth place.

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: "We did attend an east London hotel. We removed some food samples as a precaution. We intend to hand these over to the appropriate agency in due course. No official allegations have been received."

No police investigation was taking place, she added.

The fixture was thrown into doubt and Premier League officials visited Tottenham's team hotel to assess the situation before it was announced that the fixture would proceed.

Postponement would have caused problems for the end of the League season, with Tottenham and Arsenal kicking off at the same time.

Paul Downing, the hotel's general manager, said: "They've stayed here several times and arrived yesterday evening before having dinner at 7.30pm.

"We don't know that it is food poisoning but we need to establish what has made some of the players unwell.

"We are taking part in an investigation with club management to try to find that out."

The five-star hotel has 301 rooms.

 

The Mirror:

Experts called in by police are testing lasagne that furious Tottenham Hotspur bosses fear was deliberately poisoned to cripple their players before a vital match.

Spurs were forced to play against rivals West Ham United after 10 first team stars had been struck down with sickness and diarrhoea. Manager Martin Jol said some were still vomiting in the dressing room minutes before kick-off.

The players fell ill after eating a team buffet at the Marriott hotel in Canary Wharf, East London, not far from West Ham's Upton Park stadium.

Last night a Spurs source said: "We don't know for sure what it is but at the moment lasagne is the prime suspect."