Toon Player Arrested - Just What We DON'T Need Right Now!

Carroll, 19, accepted a caution following the incident last weekend in Pudding Chare, a narrow street near the city's infamous Bigg Market bars.

The Gateshead-born player was taken from the scene by officers at 2.30am last Sunday for questioning.

A Northumbria police spokeswoman said: "On Sunday, September 14, police were called to the Pudding Chare at 2.26am, to a report that a woman had been assaulted.

"Officers attended and a 19-year-old man was arrested and later accepted a police caution for assault."

Carroll was sent home in disgrace before an England Under-19 fixture last season, and faced a show down with then-manager Sam Allardyce.

He was on loan at Preston and was shown a red car against Scunthorpe that gave him a three match ban, and the Lilywhites sent him back to Newcastle in January, prefering not to take up the option of another six months loan.

His arrest is yet more bad publicity for the club at a time we could do without it.