Ex-Man City, Wigan, Tranmere, Morecambe player JAILED after being caught hiding drugs

Ex-Man City, Wigan, Tranmere, Morecambe player Max Norman has been JAILED after being caught hiding drugs in his underwear.

Liverpool Echo report he busted a third time in two months with banned substances, with Norman losing interest in football and instead turned to keeping and dealing drugs.

Court heard how he once stashed the illegal drugs down in his underpants, but watched them fall out in front of police offices during a search.

Max Norman was locked up for four-and-a-half yearshttps://t.co/Hk2NRsmd4o

— Liverpool Echo (@LivEchonews) January 17, 2024

On Monday (15th January 2024), a judge at the Liverpool Crown Court handed a prison sentence of four-and-a-half years having admitted to drug possession charges.

According to his LinkedIn profile, he listed himself as a youth player at Premier League club Manchester City and Wigan Athletic before signing professionally the likes of Tranmere, Morecambe and Turkish club Alanyaspor.

Free agent
Feb 2018 – Present – 6 years

Alanyaspor
May 2019 – Dec 2019 – 8 months

Tranmere Rovers FC
Aug 2018 – Apr 2019 – 9 months

Morecambe Football Club
Mar 2018 – Jul 2018 – 5 months

Club Deportivo El Ejido
Jul 2017 – Mar 2018 – 9 months

Youth footballer
Manchester City Football Club
Jul 2013 – May 2015 – 1 year 11 months

Youth footballer
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Aug 2012 – May 2013 – 10 months

It was only when Norman, 25, was arrested a second time that Merseyside Police searched his house, discovering heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine which was worth up to £50,000 down an armchair.

CCTV footage was also captured showing Norman at a drug house with the premises being where he’d  deliver a bag.

His first arrest, which took place back in September 2021, saw him a passenger in a Vauxhall Vectra which police pulled to the side of Crosby Road South, Seaforth, Liverpool.

He was arrested, and taken into custody, and that is when he ended up being searched, to which the contraband (consisting of 72 wraps of white powder, seven wraps of a brown substance and £246.55 in cash) then came out of his underpants.

Rebecca Smith, prosecuting, adds that two mobile phones were taken, one from his person and another from inside the car, yet despite this, Norman claimed that he was “just a user”, before then being released under investigation, but was then detained again in October 14th 2021 after police in plain clothes stopped a white Mini in which he was being carried in the front seat and which co-defendant Matthew Larty, 26, was driving.

Coppers found drugs in the passenger seat footwell while around £180 in cash was seized.

He is also believed to have told PCs: “Are you happy now that you’ve got me?”

He also had five previous convictions for nine offences.

The wraps were found to be 7.58g of crack cocaine and 1.1g of heroin, worth £770.

After looking at the phones, messages showed that they had been used for dealing.

Norman was described by his lawyer, Stuart McNally, to have been a “very talented footballer who played at a high level both in the United Kingdom and Europe”.

McNally told court that Norman, who also suffers from ADHD and Tourettes, had a brain injury after being “involved in a serious road traffic collision”, saying: “He is a highly intelligent young man, capable of achieving. He does appreciate that these are serious offences. The defendant knows the consequences. He has a supportive family. He has employment available. When he is released, there is some stability. The prison experience, for him, has been stark. It has been chastening.”

Norman, who appeared in court via video link to HMP Liverpool, admitted possession of heroin, crack cocaine and cocaine with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of cannabis, being locked up for four-and-a-half years.

Callum Ross, defending, told the court that 26-year-old Matthew Larty had served in the armed forces, before being discharged after suffering an injury, and turned to drug use and then dealing to help him with his debts.

Matthew Larty, who had no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to possession of class A drugs with intent to supply and was given a 24-month imprisonment suspended for two years along with rehabilitation plan, a requirement of up to 15 days and 300 hours of unpaid work.

Sentencing, Judge David Swinnerton said: “You are both relatively young, and we are now talking about events over two years ago. There is much to be said about both of you.”

The judge said that Norman was the “controller of the stash house”, and added: “You were extremely foolish that, following your first arrest, you carried on and, following your second arrest, you carried on. That makes your situation so much worse.”

Judge Swinnerton said: “Both of you have had your lives turned upside down by injury, accidents or ill health. In your case, that led to your departure from a well-regarded armed forces career.

“You have gone from a position where people hold you in high esteem to being a convicted drug dealer. You have a life which you need to rebuild. I am giving you a chance here. If you throw that chance away, I will send you to prison.”