Eddie Howe has revealed he was forced to check whether Joe Willock had really been trapped in a maze after a bizarre online hoax spiralled out of control.
The Newcastle United boss admitted he spoke to the midfielder after a fake social media post claimed Willock had been lost for six hours in York Maze and rescued by emergency services.
The spoof post, shared by a parody X account known for fabricating football stories, quickly went viral last week. The false report was even read out live on BBC Radio One before being corrected on air, while York Maze said they were 'inundated' with messages from concerned fans.