Scotland stars Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor ran up £1500 bar bill

Apr 2 2009 By John Ferguson

SHAMED Scotland stars Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor ran up a £1500 bar bill during their eight-hour boozing session.

The pair were dropped from the national side for last night's Word Cup qualifier against Iceland after the marathon binge, exclusively revealed by the Daily Record.

They knocked back dozens of drinks and bought refreshments for other guests at Cameron House Hotel just hours after Scotland were beaten 3-0 by Holland.

As other guests at the exclusive Loch Lomond resort were heading for lunch, the players were still propping up the bar.

Scotland skipper Ferguson was sinking vodka and Red Bulls at £7.45 each.

The session started at 4am on Sunday and ended at lunchtime when they were confronted by manager George Burley.

One onlooker said: "The goalkeeper couldn't walk and Ferguson couldn't talk.

"They both drank loads of beers and then Barry started downing glass after glass of vodka and Red Bull. The bar staff couldn't believe what they were seeing.

"They kept on expecting every round to be the last but they just kept on ordering.

"McGregor finally handed over £800 for his £750 share, leaving a £50 tip - the staff had earned that, I can tell you." When the squad arrived back from Amsterdam, about half a dozen players headed straight for the bar.

Some drifted back to their rooms but the Rangers duo stayed in the Great Scot Bar until the following lunchtime.

A source at the hotel added: "Nobody could believe what they were seeing. They were stumbling around the bar at lunch time as other guests were going to the gym to work out.

"You just can't imagine any other country where a couple of star players would do this, especially right after a major defeat and in the run-up to a crunch match."

Initially, Burley ordered the pair home but reversed the decision after they made a grovelling apology.

When Ferguson failed to appear at yesterday's Press conference at Dumbarton, SFA spokesman Rob Shorthouse claimed the skipper had rushed away from training to be at an "appointment".

However, it was later announced that they had been dropped from the side to face Iceland.

Taken from the Daily Record