Wigan Athletic old-boy remembers nights out with Rooney and Gerrard

The 34-year-old - still playing with Denizlispor in Turkey - spent three-and-a-half years with Latics after being signed by Steve Bruce in January 2009.

And he says his time in the north west was enhanced by regular nights out to let his hair down - among the elite of English football.

“If people knew how many times I bumped into Rooney in Manchester drinking like a madman, or the number of times I saw Gerrard on a bar dancing shirtless…" he said on Instagram Live.

“They are human beings, there is nothing wrong with it. I can count with one hand the number of footballers who don’t drink. All of them, all of us, go out and drink.

“I have always said it. I enjoy drinking and dancing. I love salsa dancing. There is nothing wrong with it. I know we are footballers, but we are human beings too.”