Former Manchester City kit man Les Chapman reveals what Mario Balotelli left in his locker after exit to AC Milan
Chappy was the man who printed the famous 'Why Always Me?' T-shirt for the zany Italian striker
FORMER Manchester City kit man Les Chapman has shed some light on working with zany striker Mario Balotelli.
The unpredictable Italian was as famous for his antics off the field as his goalscoring exploits on it.
"When he got sent off at Arsenal he threw his boot through the plasma TV in the dressing-room!
"But he was bright, he wasn't stupid, and he was very generous. He would go into a garage and pay for everyone's petrol or give a homeless guy a wad of cash.
"Then he used to wonder why his car was impounded 27 times - because it was painted in camouflage and he parked it on double yellows outside San Carlo restaurant in the middle of Manchester every day.
"I opened his locker after he left and all his parking tickets just fell out!"
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Balotelli was not the only former City star with strange habits.
Chapman had to meet a series of odd demands from legendary Denmark stopper Peter Schmeichel.
The 69-year-old - who spent 17 years at City - added: "He was fussy. He was a great lad during the week but on matchday he was a monster.
"He'd arrive at the ground and give me his gloves and I had to hide them where no-one could see them or touch them. I then had to produce them at the right time, just before he went out.
"He also had to have a different kit for the warm-up, first half and second half — we went through 92 in one season!
"Gael Clichy always wore a glove for the handshakes and then took it off. And Sergio Aguero had to be last off the coach and last on to the pitch."