Matt Holland has confirmed that Titus Bramble was indeed found drunk and asleep in a taxi after the players' Christmas party a week last Thursday. The Town skipper has also commented on the general issue of misbehaving players which has been all over the front pages in the last week or so.
Holland, writing in his Independent column (http://news.independent.co.uk/sport/football/comment/story.jsp?story=111465) said of Bramble: "Titus Bramble, our talented defender, was fined this week for falling asleep in a taxi after the players' Christmas dinner. He was drunk, his behaviour was unacceptable, but it is not damning for his career. He realises his mistake and is determined to learn from it, as should all the younger players in the club."
Writing about the plethora of footballer-related trouble this week Holland says that it is society's problem rather than football's: "I think that any discussion of players' behaviour needs to consider the low standards of behaviour in society. A society that players are not above, whatever some of the ignorant ones may think. We are part of it, the same as stockbrokers, factory workers, politicians, the unemployed and, dare I say it, journalists."
The Town skipper added: "The fact is that yobbish culture prevails over the whole country and in all professions. Players need to be above that, but not for the reasons trotted out in the week. The real reason is our influence on children. If we behave, the kids who adore us will behave and in turn will teach their kids to behave. It might even rub off on the parents, but we are not now responsible for the behaviour of adults, as has become popular to suggest. Let them take responsibility for their own actions."