He claims the sick stunt was simply a “joke” to wind up a friend.
The disgraceful snap — taken in the bathroom of Ridgewell’s £1.5million (N378,217,105) home in Barnt Green, Birmingham — was sent to the British newspaper The Sun by a West Brom fan, who said: “The people of West Bromwich earn a fraction of what this idiot earns yet he makes a mockery of his good fortune like this. It makes me sick.
“We’ve always thought footballers were arrogant, overpaid buffoons and this just proves it.”
Ridgewell apologised last night.
He said: “The photo was taken in the privacy of my home around eight months ago as a joke to wind up a mate, who I had just won a personal bet with.
“I only intended him to see the photo but now it’s public, I can understand how it will be viewed. I am sorry for any offence it causes.”
A spokesman for West Brom, currently fifth in the Premier League, said: “This is a private issue for Liam that has become public.
“It does not put the club in a good light and we will deal with the matter internally.
“Since Liam joined us 11 months ago, his conduct on club duty has been exemplary.”
West Brom fans were shown the picture — and most reacted with disbelief.
One of them said: “It’s insensitive to fans who have to scrape money together just to see him play. You wouldn’t catch me doing that with a £20 note.”
Another one fumed,: “Even though he did it for a bet he should give a bit more thought to what kids who see it might think. It’s not doing much for the image of footballers. I’d be interested to hear what the Queen has to say about it too. He’d have been hung for that 100 years ago.”
Some fans, however, are quoted as having said: “It’s up to him what he does — he’s just having a laugh.”
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