Text-mad gets Fined £8k

MANCHESTER United star CRISTIANO RONALDO was fined £8,000 in one day by boss SIR ALEX FERGUSON — for using his mobile phone during training.

The Portuguese winger, 23, — who is about to sign a new £140,000-A-WEEK contract — was slapped with the bumper cash fine by tough Scot Fergie.

He was caught texting FOUR times during a single session at the club’s Carrington complex.

Strict Fergie, 66, is tightening the screw on players who are not completely focused during the club’s midweek preparation.

And he has been hitting his stars in the pocket with on-the-spot £2,000 penalties for every offence.

A United source said: “The players all respect Sir Alex’s discipline. He is not a man to be messed with.

“But a few of the players have been sneaking their mobile phones on to the training pitch to send the odd text message between sessions.

“Fergie and his assistants have been cracking down on it big time recently. They insist that mobiles stay in lockers and should not be used until training is finished.”

Carrington training ground had a sophisticated internal communication system fitted last summer.

The idea of the technology was to allow players to be contacted by a pager from the front desk reception if someone needed to get hold of them urgently.

Sir Alex also implemented a ban of mobiles on the Manchester United team bus this season.

He has even been known to frown upon his players making calls during team train journeys from Macclesfield, Cheshire, to their Premier League fixtures in London.

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