Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has been sacked by Greenock Morton after being charged over an alleged drugs plot(Image: Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Ex-Arsenal striker sacked by club after being charged importing drugs in £600k plot

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, who began his career as a prospect for Arsenal in 1998, joined Scottish outfit Greenock Morton this summer but the club have terminated his contract after he was charged over an alleged drugs plot

by · The Mirror

Former Arsenal striker Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has been sacked by his club Greenock Morton FC after being charged by police for allegedly trying to smuggle £600,000 of cannabis into the UK.

The 33-year-old was arrested by the National Crime Agency in Gourock, Scotland, on Wednesday before being charged with importing Class B drugs after 60kg of cannabis were discovered inside two suitcases after arriving from Bangkok earlier this month.

Emmanuel-Thomas, who began his career as a prospect for Arsenal after joining the club's academy in 1998, joined Scottish Championship outfit Greenock Morton this summer - with the club now announcing they have terminated the player's contract.

In a brief statement on social media, the club wrote: "Greenock Morton FC can confirm that the contract of Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has been terminated with immediate effect. The club will be making no further comment on the matter."

Border Forces seized 60kg of cannabis at Stansted Airport( Image: NCA)

Emmanuel-Thomas appeared at Carlisle Magistrates Court on Thursday and did not enter a plea but his lawyer said he "strenuously" denied being involved in a plot to bring drugs to the UK.

Two women aged 28 and 32 also appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates Court and were given bail. They are set to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on October 1.

Emmanuel-Thomas has played for a succession of clubs during his career - playing once for his boyhood club Arsenal and being loaned out three times to Blackpool, Doncaster and Cardiff City.

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas joined Arsenal as a schoolboy in 1998 and left the club in 2011( Image: OLLY GREENWOOD/AFP via Getty Images)

He had arguably his most successful spells with Ipswich Town - where he played from 2011 to 2013 - and Bristol City before moving his way down the Football League and eventually jetting out to Thailand to play for PTT Rayong.

The forward then had a string of seasons in Scotland as he turned out for Livingston and Aberdeen before spells with Indian team Jamshedpur and then returning to the UK to play for Kidderminister Harriers earlier this year.