Scrooge Gordon Strachan ruins Middlesbrough knees-up

Gordon Strachan ruined a Christmas night out for his Middlesbrough players in London – because he was fuming over their failure to beat Peterborough.

Strachan was so unhappy that his stars had blown their chance of a first victory under his regime and cancelled their plan to get on a specially-hired coach to take them for a Christmas party.

Instead the fiery Scot told the players to get on the team bus and head back towards Tees-side, with their coach following behind and waiting for him to have a change of heart.

Strachan eventually relented an hour into the trip and the Boro boys headed for the capital - but the extra time wasted on the stand-off cost them dear.

The Boro players dashed back to London but were too late for their booked meal and had to head out to a club to belatedly drown their sorrows.