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Chelsea and England defender Ashley Cole has apologised to the police for a foul-mouthed tirade that led to him being arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct.

In a statement released by the Chelsea left-back, Cole said he swore out of his frustration with the paparazzi and insisted he would never disrespect the police.

However, Cole admits he did not heed their warnings to calm down and regrets not taking their advice. He also made it clear that he had not consumed a vast amount of alcohol.

Cole declared: "I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to the police officers on duty last night for my language.

"I felt I was being harassed by paparazzi and while complaining to the police about this at the scene they did warn me to calm down, a warning that I regrettably did not heed.

"I fully appreciate that whatever frustrations I may have had with others that it was completely inappropriate to vent those in conversations with the police.

"However, I do want to make clear that I swore in frustration at the paparazzi's behaviour. I would never disrespect police officers in anyway.

"I take very seriously my responsibilities as a professional footballer, this includes keeping my body in the best condition.

"Although I had consumed some alcohol earlier in the evening on a night out with friends it had not been excessive.

"But I accept that the language I used on this occasion was wrong. I regret my actions and how it reflects on myself and Chelsea Football Club."

The 28-year-old was arrested in Brompton Road, South Kensington, at about 2.15am on Thursday morning after emerging from the Collection nightclub.

Police sources said the officers were already on patrol in the street and were not called to any disorder.

One source denied reports they were following up a complaint from a photographer over an alleged bust-up with Cole.

Cole was taken to a central London police station and issued with an ?0 fixed penalty notice for being drunk and disorderly before being released shortly after 5.30am.

Cole is likely to be fined by Chelsea.

The Collection nightclub is a popular haunt on the west London celebrity scene.

Before his arrest last night, Cole had joined Chelsea's first-team squad and more than 300 charity workers, celebrities and supporters for the second annual Chelsea FC and Armani charity fundraiser.

Cole, who racked up a ?,000 bill at the restaurant with team-mates Terry and Michael Mancienne, was "rude" to police after getting frustrated by waiting paparazzi, Mr Maraj revealed.

The manager said the trio had "behaved well" before someone apparently took a picture of Cole inside the restaurant.

The three players enjoyed a range of drinks, some of which may have been bought for them by other guests, he added.

"People were coming up to them during dinner, men and women. They seemed happy and quite polite - all the players came for a quiet night."

Revealing how Princes William and Harry were previously regular guests at the bar, Mr Maraj added: "I believe there was a photographer inside who took a picture of Cole.

"He (Cole) was more frustrated than being drunk, because of paparazzi - it must have been something.

"My staff told me he stopped to speak to police as he left. He was apparently complaining about paparazzi. My staff said he was being rude to the police."

He added that the Chelsea players regularly visited his venue and always behaved well.

Cole ate a Japanese steak costing ?0, he added.

Link to Photobucket album: http://s640.photobucket.com/albums/uu124/j...ig-E-Pit-Build/

Several folks have asked about the BBQ pit I'm going to be making. Thanks to all that have helped with advice and such.

My goal with this rig is to be able to cook for the folks we serve at the rescue mission downtown. We do breakfast now and it's cool and all but you don't really have much opportunity to talk to the people. It's 15 seconds of "Hey, how are you?" and you place the pancake or scoop of syrup on the tray and then you're on to the next guy. It seemed to me that it would be cool to pull the trailer downtown and set up in the parking lot and just hang out all night cooking. BBQ at it's core is basically shooting the breeze in front of a campfire. And this will allow me to do this. Smelling that burning hickory and pork fat for 14 hours is like a cattle call for people. I think I can draw a good crowd. Especially when it's free.

I also will use it to feed my Bryant Boat employees. We have regular events where I'll be serving 75-100 folks. We have a Bryant Boat Owners thing in the Summer where owners have a get together at our factory and I'll use it there too.

Depending on how that goes, I can see branching out to other catering type gigs. I don't think it will be too hard to connect with folks that want some sort of event catered. And if that goes well, then a real brick and mortar restaurant might be the end result.

I started with a boat trailer for one of our 27' boats. We cut the bunks and fenders off and we've added a floor to it that is 16' long x 8' wide. This thing is going to be pretty big.

On one end, I'm going to have a cabinet style upright smoker. It will have 2 cooking chambers that are 48" wide x 36" deep x 48" tall. Fired by a firebox below that is 44" wide x 27"deep x 36" tall. One of the unique features I'm going to have on this is that the firebox will feed two cooking chambers that are separate and I'll be able to control the heat in each chamber. I think that this will be much better than one huge cooking chamber.

At the other end of the trailer, I will have a charcoal grill that will be 96" wide by 36" deep. Lots of room for grilling.

Along the starboard side (that's the right side if you're facing forward for you land lovers ) I'll have a sink and prep station. Along the port side (other side), I'm going to have a cooking area with 3 propane burners (like you'd use for frying a turkey) that give me a lot of flexibility to cook whatever I want like on a stove top. Whether it's fried chicken, or baked beans or big skillets or maybe even rig up a flat top type insert.

I'll have a roof and awning type side pieces that fold out for protection in the rain. Generator for lights and such.

Modeling after a cooker that a guy I know owns. Adding some tweaks that I like and making it my own.

Should be a good deal. At the very least a fun project for my Dad and I. He's a master craftsman and loves stuff like this. I'm a hack but I'm a pretty good helper.

I'll post pics for anyone interested.

J

Ray Lewis told the NFL Network on Wednesday that he wouldn't give the Ravens a hometown discount in free agency and considered the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets as attractive options.

A 10-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker, Lewis would become an unrestricted free agent in three weeks if the Ravens don't sign him to a new contract or use the franchise tag on him.

At the end of the season, owner Steve Bisciotti and linebacker Terrell Suggs brought up the possibility that Lewis might take less money to stay.

But Lewis said there would be no discounts.

"I don't play less," Lewis told the NFL Network in Hawaii, where he will play in the Pro Bowl. "If you don't play less, you don't take less. That's just life."

Only a week ago at the Super Bowl, Lewis told The Baltimore Sun that his thoughts heading into free agency were "nobody else's business" and his decision was "between me and God."

Lewis, though, was more candid this week, acknowledging that he would be open to joining the Cowboys and Jets if he didn't re-sign with the Ravens.

When Lewis was asked about the Cowboys' dysfunctional locker room, Lewis explained that the team needed "one general," and it needs to be a player and not a coach.

"I don't see all of that outside stuff that they're talking about what goes on in Dallas," Lewis said. "I see Dallas as a great opportunity. It's always been America's Team. It's just a great place to play football."

Lewis surprisingly said he wouldn't have a problem playing with Dallas wide receiver Terrell Owens.

In 2004 Owens spurned a trade to the Ravens, which caused a feud between him and Lewis. Not only did Owens later mock Lewis' pre-game dance after scoring a touchdown, he also then brought up the murder charge brought against the middle linebacker in 2000 to show he wasn't "the bad guy."

But it seems Lewis has forgiven or forgotten.

"I can definitely play with T.O," Lewis said. "I think T.O. is a great, great person. I just love him. I love his work ethic. I love everything about him. So, playing with T.O. is easy."

Another team that would draw Lewis' interest is the Jets.

Lewis said it's a match because of his relationship with Rex Ryan, his former defensive coordinator who recently became head coach of the Jets.

"That opportunity by itself looks attractive," Lewis said. "That just sounds right. It's like, 'Wow, if something does happen where you're not back in Baltimore, the Jets wouldn't be bad.'"

Lewis said he hasn't talked to Ryan about this because he can't. Under NFL rules, teams can't speak to players under contract with other teams.

Because Lewis' deal doesn't officially expire until the end of the month, conversations with other teams would be tampering.

Lewis said he liked "the upside" with the Jets.

"You go take a young Jets team that has a lot of talent across the board," Lewis said. "You wiggle 52 into that equation, then that team goes from just being OK to 'let's go win this.' That scenario is attractive."

But Lewis never said he has ruled out coming back to the Ravens.

He continued to call Baltimore "my city" and seemed disappointed that the Ravens didn't address his contract situation earlier.

Before this year, the Ravens had never allowed Lewis to enter the final year of a contract. It would mark the first time in Lewis' 13-year career that he would reach free agency.

"The uncomfortable thing about me is that I'm even having this conversation," Lewis said. "With everything I've given to that city, I've always felt that this is one conversation that I would never have and didn't want to have. That scenario in Baltimore ??¦ that's nothing I don't love about my city."