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Demba Ba left his former car cleaner raging after leaving Newcastle for Chelsea without settling his £40 bill, according to the Daily Mail.

Lee Donnelly cleans the expensive cars of Newcastle stars including Andy Carroll, Joey Barton and Kevin Nolan and current players Danny Simpson, Jonas Gutierrez, Cheick Tiote and Yohan Cabaye.

He completed a job on Ba's gold Mercedes 6.3 before Christmas but claims he is still owed £40 by the Senegalese striker who is reportedly on £90,000-a-week.

Speaking to the Evening Chronicle, he said: 'It’s the principle more than anything. I asked him a few times for the cash and he said, "I owe you still" but last time I saw him he said he only had a £50 note.

'I didn’t have any change so he just put the £50 back in his wallet and said it would have to be another time and drove off. I thought for the money you’re on why don’t you just give me the £50 for messing me about.'

Donnelly sent a text message to the striker to try and retrieve his payment but has not heard back from him.

The 34-year-old has been cleaning players' cars since 2009 when then manager Chris Hughton responded to a flyer posted through his door.

He said: 'I clean a lot of the footballers’ cars at their houses when I’m in Darras Hall.

'The last time I washed Ba's red Audi and Mercedes and said can you leave the money with your wife or whoever is in but she said I’d have to get it off him.'



'The cars I’ve worked on now are unreal. I’ve ended up doing odd jobs at their houses for them too.

'I’ve looked after James Perch’s house and done bits and pieces for Ryan Taylor. The nicest footballer I have ever met is Kevin Nolan and the funniest is Ryan Taylor.

'Danny Gosling is one of the best lads there at the moment. He’s down to earth, so is James Perch, and Steve Harper is a lovely bloke.'