Christmas Day off cost Sam his job

NEWCASTLE United scrapped a plan to train over Christmas in a catastrophic move that eventually cost the manager his job.

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Back in 2007, Sam Allardyce abolished plans to train on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, much to the astonishment of senior professionals at the club at the time like Nicky Butt, Alan Smith, and Michael Owen.

Instead players were left to indulge in the festivities with their families ahead of the trip to Wigan Athletic.

But the game ended in a dire 1-0 defeat as thousands of Geordie fans chanted: “You don't know what you're doing” at Allardyce, all within earshot of owner Mike Ashley.