Man City kitman couldn't believe what he found in Mario Balotelli's locker after he left

Former Manchester City kitman Les 'Chappy' Chapman has revealed Italian striker Mario Balotelli left a host of parking tickets inside his dressing room locker after leaving the club

Posted Thursday, April 13, 2023 by Dailystar.co.uk

Man City kitman couldn't believe what he found in Mario Balotelli's locker after he left
Mario Balotelli left a host of parking tickets in his Man City locker after leaving the club

It's safe to say life at the Etihad during Mario Balotelli's time in Manchester was never dull.

During his three year spell at Manchester City, who he joined from Inter Milan for £23m back in 2010, the Italian international was embroiled in a number of controversies both on and off the pitch.

So legendary were his antics, which included a bathroom fireworks display, Balotelli became something of a cult hero at City, playing a crucial role in their dramatic 2011/12 Premier League title win.

On the final day of the season against QPR, the Italian forward provided the assist for Sergio Aguero's dramatic winner, which would be his only assist he registered for the club.

And now it has been revealed by former City kitman, Les 'Chappy' Chapman that when Balotelli left the Etihad, he also left behind a litany of parking tickets, alongside one of his old payslips which showed that he had been fined £100,000 by the club.

Mario Balotelli's time with Manchester City certainly wasn't dull

Mario Balotelli celebrates after scoring in the Manchester derby

Speaking on the Ninety Three Twenty Podcast, Chapman said: "I used to do tours of the training ground. And I can remember going into the dressing room with the first tour after Mario had left.

"And I said to them, 'This is Mario's locker'. Opened the door and about 30 parking tickets fell out! And a wage slip. He'd been fined by the club, that month, £100,000."

During their time together at City, Chapman and Balotelli grew close, with the ex-kitman revealing he used to give the striker a cigarette or two before he would go out for training.

Man City kitman couldn't believe what he found in Mario Balotelli's locker after he left
Former City kitman Les Chapman speaks fondly of Mario Balotelli

Additionally, Chapman was also responsible for the creation of Balotelli's famous 'why always me?' shirt he showed off during City's rampant 2011 6-1 win over rivals Manchester United.

Chapman continued on the podcast: "Mario's took me around the back and said 'I want to get this printed on my shirt, what do you think?'

"I said 'yeah, I'll print it up, but you can't have anything offensive or it's going to offend the United fans or anybody really.

Man City kitman couldn't believe what he found in Mario Balotelli's locker after he left
It was ex-Man City kitman Les 'Chappy' Chapman who printed the now iconic undershirt

"He came out with one or two things and I said 'No, Mario' and then he said 'what about why always me?' and as soon as he said it I thought that's just about perfect and then I got in trouble after that game because they wouldn't let me print anymore shirts after that game

"Instead of just lifting his shirt up to there [his chest], he lifted it over his head and got booked so David Platt [said] 'message from Mancini, don't print anymore shirts.' But after five minutes, it had gone global!"