Jack Stephens has become Southampton’s dressing room enforcer - by becoming the team’s very own high court judge.
Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse has revealed how team mate Stephens even puts on a judge’s outfit to dish out punishment to players who break club rules.
It has helped lighten the mood and keep dressing room spirits high during a difficult season but is now clearly paying off as Southampton begin to climb the Premier League table.
Ward-Prowse is one of the dressing room’s unofficial policemen alongside Stuart Armstrong and they collect “evidence” on players who turn up late or forget to turn their phones off.
Ward-Prowse said: “Football can be intense and serious but to have a bit of fun with that is a good thing and it goes towards a fines system we’ve got and it goes towards a team dinner.
“We got nominated to be the police in the dressing room.
"We may be given information during the week about people leaving kit out, people being on their phone when they shouldn’t be and not bringing birthday cakes in when it’s their birthday.
“Then we’ve got Your Honour Judge Stephens. Jack gets dressed up in a judge’s outfit. He comes in and he’s a brilliant character!
"He’ll hold court and consider various incidents during the week, look at any evidence provided and that gets taken into account.
“It just breaks it up and takes the seriousness of it. That fun stuff does translate and work on the pitch and it makes a real good togetherness at the moment.”
