Player released by Chelsea after incident

By foxsports
Published

Chelsea has released reserve-team midfielder Jacob Mellis after he admitted setting off a smoke grenade at the club's training ground.

The Premier League club says it made the decision after a ''full and thorough'' investigation into the incident, which took place on March 2 when Chelsea's training complex in Cobham had to be evacuated.

British media said Mellis' teammate, Billy Clifford, brought the grenade into the training ground. Clifford was fined by Chelsea.

The 21-year-old Mellis joined Chelsea in 2007, making his first-team debut in the Champions League win over Zilina in November 2010.

The incident comes 13 months after Chelsea leftback Ashley Cole accidentally shot an intern with an air rifle at the training ground.