Bradley Wright-Phillips and Nathan Dyer, the Southampton players, were arrested and questioned yesterday in connection with an alleged theft at a nightclub. It has been alleged that Dyer, a midfield player, was pictured rifling through handbags in a cloakroom, while Wright-Phillips, a forward, stood watch after the pair broke a club curfew last month to visit Bar Bluu in Southsea, Hampshire.

The Coca-Cola Championship club have said that the allegations were serious and fined the players two weeks’ wages. Wright-Phillips, the son of Ian Wright, the former Arsenal and England striker, was fined £16,000 and Dyer £10,000.

Dyer, the 20-year-old whose contract finishes at the end of the season, has not been fit to play since December. Wright-Phillips, 23, returned as a substitute during the goalless draw against Coventry City on Saturday after being dropped for the 1-0 victory against Leicester City two weeks ago.

Staff at the venue, which on the night of the alleged incident hosted Kano, the R&B star, reported that three mobile phones, £145 in cash, student cards and cigarettes had been stolen from three handbags. An investigation was launched by Hampshire Police after two men were filmed on CCTV entering a staff room in the early hours of February 28.

Claus Lundekvam is to retire after making more than 400 appearances for Southampton in 12 years. The Norway defender has suffered a recurrence of an ankle injury after an operation. The 35-year-old, who joined the South Coast club from Brann for £400,000 in 1996, said: “It’s game over. It’s very sad, but it hasn’t sunk in yet. I’ve prepared myself for this situation slightly over the last few weeks after I snapped the tendon in my ankle. It is difficult to come to terms with. Maybe once the season is over and the players have gone, I’ll find it hard to deal with.”