A Humorous Tale from the England Dressing Room: Carlton Cole’s Snus Experience

Carlton Cole, a former target man for West Ham, recently recounted a humorous yet enlightening experience from his time with the England national team, shedding light on the often merciless nature of dressing room banter.

In a candid interview, the 42-year-old spoke about a memorable incident involving a tobacco product called snus, which was just starting to gain traction among footballers. This event took place during one of Cole’s seven call-ups to the national squad between 2009 and 2010.

Cole, who is no stranger to pranks, previously shared a story about his teammates Jermain Defoe and Wayne Rooney tricking him into taking Viagra. However, this particular episode revolved around snus, which he initially believed to be harmless. “Some of the lads back then had this thing called snus,” Cole explained. “They said, ‘No, trust me, it’s good for you.’ I didn’t even know it was tobacco. I just smelled it, and it was minty. So I thought, I’ll give it a try.”

The prank unfolded in a hotel room where several England stars were gathered to unwind and play video games. Eager to join in the camaraderie, Cole was offered a pouch of snus under the pretense that it was a calming agent. “They said, ‘Coley, it can help settle you down.’ I was like, ‘Oh, is it? I’ll have a go,'” he recalled, unaware of the potency of the smokeless tobacco product that is placed between the upper lip and gum.

Once he began using the snus, Cole quickly felt the effects of the high nicotine content entering his bloodstream. Initially, he experienced a light-headed sensation that he mistook for relaxation. “After five minutes, I started to feel a little bit… I’m not going to say who gave it to me,” he said, reminiscing about the moment. “Then I started to feel my stomach go. I remember sliding off into the bathroom and going into gripping pain. My stomach was hurting. I was on the tiled floor in a foetal position. All from a snus. The lads were laughing their heads off!”

Cole concluded with a humorous note, stating, “I’ve never touched snus since!”

This anecdote is not the first instance where Cole has highlighted the lively atmosphere within the England camp during that era. His earlier story involving Rooney and Defoe, where they tricked him into taking Viagra by claiming it was a vitamin for energy, remains one of the most infamous tales from his international experiences. “I had an erection and I was the quickest person around the pitch!” he joked about that incident. “I had three legs.”