​Ex-Tottenham Hotspur striker Chris Armstrong has been convicted of possessing cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy. The 45-year-old, who made his name at Crystal Palace, was caught with the drugs in July.


Police found the former player with small quantities of each drug and, judging by the small fine rather than a custodial sentence, he wasn’t under suspicion of intent to supply.


Dread-locked Armstrong admitted possession charges and was fined £375 at Hammersmith magistrates’ court.

NEWCASTLE V C PALACE

When asked by The Sun yesterday, Armstrong insisted: “I don’t have a drug problem.”


Armstrong became the first Premier League footballer to fail a drugs test when his urine sample was found to contain cannabis in 1995.


He was banned and spent four weeks out the game while he attended a rehab programme.


However, it appears that Armstrong’s problems haven’t been solved as sources close to him say he has dabbled with drugs since retiring from the sport in 2005.


One told The Sun: “Cannabis use often leads to harder drugs and that seems to have been the case for Chris, which is a real shame.


“Nowadays he looks a shadow of his former self. He is much thinner than he was and is very withdrawn.”

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