Ex-Arsenal ace Armand Traore ended up behind bars after being caught with a knuckle-duster at his first North London derby
The Nottingham Forest defender thought he needed protection in case he was spotted by a Tottenham fan after signing for the Gunners
DEFENDER Armand Traore has revealed that he ended up in a police cell after being caught with a knuckle-duster at a north London derby.
The Frenchman had only just signed for the Gunners and wanted to watch his new club play against arch rivals Tottenham.
The police found the weapon as he was entering White Hart Lane and the Senegalese star spent the next 10 hours in custody.
He admitted that he over-estimated the rivalry between the two sides and apologised sincerely for his mistake.
Traore said: "I was only 17 and I had just started playing for Arsenal's first-team. I had these images in my mind. I went to the north London derby but I was convinced someone might recognise me.
"I thought if a Spurs fan did, then I needed to be ready if something happened. So I had a knuckle-duster in my pocket, which was just stupid.
"As I walked into the stadium, the police found it on me and I ended up in custody for more than 10 hours. I didn't see a ball kicked.
"Eventually they released me. Then Arsene Wenger found out about it.
“I was just stupid. Young and naive. Can you imagine if something actually had happened? It would have been life-changing.
"I was young and I have learned my lesson. It was a stupid mistake.”
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Traore only featured 13 times for the Gunners and spent time on loan at Juventus and Portsmouth.
After joining the Italian giants in 2010, the Arsenal loanee experienced the harsh rivalries of Serie A.
He said: "There are some incredible rivalries in Italy. The one with Napoli was the worst.
“We arrived there the day before and there were about 300 Napoli fans outside the hotel.
“When we left to go to the stadium, they were following us on mopeds and crashing into parked cars. It was madness. I did not feel under threat exactly, no. But it did make you think, ‘This is proper passion.'"
