Controversial Manchester City star Mario Balotelli enjoyed another late night before a big game - but this time it was at midnight mass, after enjoying a booze-free trip to a local pub and treating everyone to a round of drinks.
The Italian was joined by his girlfriend Raffaella Fico at St John's church in Chorlton, Manchester, on Christmas Eve and he shocked onlookers by putting £200 on the collection plate as he left.
Balotelli was then asked by the reverend if he would join the church in providing a drop-in Christmas dinner for the homeless on Christmas Day.
'Nobody could believe it when he walked in,' an onlooker said.
'The last thing anyone expected was a big celebrity like him turning up for the service but he was very polite and charming and didn't draw attention to himself.'
Balotelli has become something of a cult figure since moving to England from Italy.
He has been involved in training ground punch-ups, arguments with the manager and even tussles with playing bibs.
There were even rumours last week on Twitter that he was driving around Manchester dressed as Santa Claus throwing money out of his car.
While this speculation turned out to be untrue, Balotelli did show his generous side by putting £1,000 behind the bar at the Tudor pub in Peel Hall earlier on Christmas Eve.
He chatted to drinkers and had photos taken before then heading off to the church service.
City boosted by returning stars
Roberto Mancini has been boosted by the news his Manchester City squad is set to be at full strength for January's hectic fixture list.
The City chief has confirmed that full-back Micah Richards is now fit and available having just missed out for the goalless draw at West Brom on Boxing Day due to the calf strain he suffered in the win against Stoke just over a week ago.
Fellow full-back Aleksander Kolarov is also fit having been ruled out for over a month with a groin problem so both could be involved in the New Year's Day trip to Sunderland this weekend.
Mancini told MEN Sport: "We didn't want to take any risk with Micah because we play a lot of games in the first ten days of January.
"It was better to leave him out. And Kolarov is okay - it is the same situation."
In a further fitness boost, midfielder Owen Hargreaves is also expected to be in the reckoning at the Stadium of Light which could herald the start of a testing run of 11 games in 35 days
The Fear sets in for Alex
MANCHESTER UNITED are facing a fight to keep two of their brightest young stars out of the hands of rivals Manchester City.
Teenagers ravel Morrison and Paul Pogba, key figures in United’s Fa Youth cup-winning team last season, are both out of contract at the end of the season.
And City are heading a queue of top clubs ready to pounce if one or both refuse to sign new deals and become free agents.
United would be entitled to compensation for development costs because both players are under 24, but it would be a bitter blow to lose such talented youngsters – especially to their closest rivals. Sir Alex Ferguson wants to keep Morrison and Pogba, both 18, and has included them in his first-team squad and Carling Cup ties.
But United have yet to open talks with England youth international Morrison, amid concerns that a lucrative new deal could lead to more off-field problems.
He escaped a custodial sentence this year after pleading guilty to witness intimidation and further angered United when he admitted criminal damage.
United have started talks with France youth international Pogba, but Ferguson admitted they were having “difficulties” negotiating a new deal with his agent.
Redknapp: 'I'd be a liar if I said I wouldn't take Tevez'
Harry Redknapp admits he would sign Carlos Tevez if he had the chance.
The Argentine striker looks certain to leave Manchester City when the January transfer window opens, with AC Milan his most likely destination, but the Spurs boss confesses he would love the chance to snap him up.
Although Redknapp admits it’s highly unlikely any deal could be done, he told the Andy Goldstein Sports Bar Show: “I like Tevez, he’s a fantastic player. I couldn’t see it happening, but I’d be a liar if I said I wouldn’t take him if I had the chance.
“When he plays, he’s top class. Whatever you say about him, when he players he has a real go and never plays without putting in all in.”
In fact, Redknapp says he’s not planning any moves into the transfer market. He added: “I think we’ll stay with what we’ve got. Unless you can buy a fantastic player, we aren’t going to improve too much.
“I’d probably give myself a headache by bringing someone else in because I’ve got plenty of cover in most positions.”
Woman marries in dress made of husband's old Man City shirts
Manchester City fan Karen Bell got married in a wedding dress made up of her husband's old replica Manchester City shirts - then went to Eastlands on honeymoon.
The 38-year-old, from Bury, spent three weeks turning the kit into a dress after deciding to get hitched.
She told the Manchester Evening News her wedding date "was the day of a match so Simon said I would have to turn up in a City shirt. That set me off thinking and I decided to do this.
"It was a labour of love. I was at the sewing machine six nights a week."
Karen and husband Simon got married in Chester before heading off to watch the Blues beat Stoke 3-0.
She said: "Everyone was stopping us to take pictures on the way in. We thought about going corporate but we have had season cards for years and we know everyone around us so we just went in our normal seats.
"It was brilliant – everyone kept buying us drinks."
And Karen added that when the pair went for a post-match drink at Manchester's Radisson Edwardian hotel "someone came over and asked me if it had been designed by Vivienne Westwood."
Proud hubby Simon said: "I was amazed when I saw her. The shirts were in a suitcase in the loft and I sacrificed them as a demonstration of my commitment.
"We didn’t tell any of our friends and when we met them before the match in the Summerbee bar they couldn’t believe it. I should have charged for pictures."
Man City and Chelsea billionaires try to outdo each other with lavish parties
The Premier League’s richest football club owners Roman Abramovich and Sheikh Mansour have tried to outdo each other off the pitch with lavish birthday and New Year parties.
Billionaire owners Abramovich and Sheikh Mansour are normally bitter rivals on the pitch, with their teams Chelsea and Manchester City competing for the the biggest honours in football.
But this rivalry seems to have spilled out onto the entertainment front with the two wealthy owners now trying to throw the biggest and best party.
Chelsea owner Abramovich is holding his annual New Year's eve celebration at his estate in the Caribbean island of St Barts and has hired US rock legends Red Hot Chilli Peppers for a reported £5 million.
His guests will be rocking away from 10pm until 4am, at which time they will retire to a fleet of super-yachts to finish off their celebrations.The exclusive event features a star studded guest list. Last year Demi Moore, Ellen DeGeneres and George Lucas attended the party.
Not to be outdone, Sheikh Mansour has also thrown a lavish event, but instead of New Year's Eve, he has been celebrating his niece's 16th birthday.The wealthy Manchester City owner paid Jay Z and Kanye West just under £4 million to perform for the girl, who is a daughter of an Arab billionaire, and other guests.
The rappers apparently played several songs at the shindig, which took place in Dubai just before Christmas.
Milan prepared to let Tevez transfer saga drag on
AC Milan have warned Manchester City they are prepared to drag out negotiations for Carlos Tevez for another month.
The Serie A giants want to take the City striker on loan, but without a clause in the deal committing them to buying him in the summer.Now, Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has said his club will not sign any other players - including Catania's Argentine forward Maxi Lopez - because they want Tevez. "Will Tevez be a Christmas present for the fans? It's tough in a period of economic difficulty, but we will try to keep the supporters happy. "Maxi Lopez? Catania have been very kind and open, but I made a promise to Carlitos [Tevez] that we'll wait for him until January 31."If Tevez does not arrive, then we will stay as we are." Mirror
Stefan Savic's agent has claimed the Montenegro defender will be leaving Manchester City on loan next month.
The Times
Colback eyeing strong City visit
http://www.safc.com/news/20111229/colba ... 13_2559987
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]OTHER BOLLOX
Arsenal are believed to have offered former Gunner and current New York Red Bulls striker Thierry Henry a two-month loan deal. Daily Mail
Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko says he would consider a move to Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala. Daily Mirror
Chelsea winger Florent Malouda is ready for a reunion with former Stamford Bridge boss Carlo Ancelotti, should the latter be named head coach of Paris Saint-Germain in the next few days. the Sun
Blackburn manager Steve Kean is believed to be lining up a bid for £5m-rated Watford striker Marvin Sordell. Daily Star
Rovers are also set to battle it out with Premier League rivals QPR for the signature of Italian striker Alessandro Del Piero, when he leaves Juventus next summer. talkShit
Newcastle have been deemed "too small" to sign Montpellier striker Olivier Giroud, while Arsenal have been quoted £42m for the French 25-year-old. Metro
QPR want to sign Tottenham winger Andros Townsend on loan in January. Daily Mirror
Greek giants Olympiacos are believed to be interested in signing Manchester United goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak and Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky. Daily Mirror
Arsenal and Chelsea are interested in unsettled Barcelona striker Isaac Cuenca. Daily Mail
Former Chelsea youngster and Turkey international midfielder Gokhan Tore, who now plays for Bundesliga side Hamburg, is being linked with a move to Turkish giants Galatasaray. Bild
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish is being linked with a move for young Swansea midfielder Joe Allen. Caught Offside
Meanwhile, the Reds are also being linked with a move for 22-year-old Dynamo Kiev forward Andriy Yarmolenko, but they will have to pay £10m to secure his signature. Footybunker
Liverpool are also interested in £6m-rated Fiorentina midfielder Riccardo Montolivo. Caught Offside
Bolton Wanderers will make a January move for Aston Villa defender Richard Dunne as a replacement for Gary Cahill.Footybunker
Alan Pardew says he would jump at the chance to re-sign former Newcastle striker Andy Carroll from Liverpool. the Sun
David Beckham will pocket £12.5m by joining mega-rich Paris St Germain. the Sun
Centre-back Ciaran Clark wants to give Aston Villa fans a belated Christmas present and upset the form book with a win over Chelsea on New Year's Eve. Birmingham Mail
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has told manager Andre Villas-Boas his Chelsea job is safe whatever happens in the title race this season. the Sun
Blackburn goalkeeper Mark Bunn believes there is a determination among the squad to repay the faith shown in them by under-fire boss Steve Kean. Lancashire Telegraph
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has warned Manchester United's title rivals the champions will be even more formidable when midfielder Tom Cleverley returns from an ankle injury. the Sun
Former Manchester United star Andrei Kanchelskis has accused his fellow Russians in the Premier League of being more interested in money than becoming great players. Daily Express
Despite speculation about his future, Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote says he's not going anywhere. The Ivory Coast international has been linked with Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea. Newcastle Evening Chronicle
more bollox later ....
