Newcastle United stars Jonjo Shelvey and Karl Darlow were caught up in a 3am street fight where a rival was punched and kicked after alopecia-sufferer Shelvey was allegedly called a 'bald c***' , MailOnline can reveal today.

Goalkeeper Karl Darlow is alleged to have kicked a man in the back during a brawl outside a Northumberland takeaway after an argument involving team-mate Shelvey following a pub crawl.

The fracas in Morpeth kicked off when the millionaire midfielder responded to the 'bald c***' taunt by telling his abuser: 'Go back to your council house, you peasant’.

The fight came just seven hours before the squad flew to China for the troubled Premier League club's pre-season tour, which began with a 4-0 thrashing by Wolves yesterday.

In exclusive footage of the bust up, goalkeeper Darlow, wearing a black hoodie, shorts and white trainers, appears to aim a kick at a man who had been shoved to the ground after punches were thrown.

Shelvey, who is wearing a white cap and designer 'slider' flip-flops, tries to force his way into the brawl before being pushed back to the pavement in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Newcastle's highest paid player, who earns £70,000-a-week, had been in a takeaway when he was allegedly verbally abused about his lack of hair.

A source told MailOnline: ‘Jonjo Shelvey was in the takeaway when a group of lads called him a “bald c***”. He laughed it off and said, “‘Go back to your council house, you peasant”.

Newcastle United goalkeeper Karl Darlow (circled) kicked a man in the back after he was shoved to the ground in this exclusive MailOnline video

The melee saw a man pushed into the road after a war of words began in a pizza shop at 3am on Saturday

Jonjo Shelvey (circled right in the white cap) had to be held back and moved away from a row sparked when someone abused him over his lack of hair, drawing Darlow (circled left) into the fight

Shelvey, circled right, and Darlow, circled left, had become upset when someone called the star midfielder, who has alopecia, a 'bald c***'

Shelvey, centre right, and Darlow, centre left, hug friends on their pub crawl on the night of the fight also attended by Newcastle midfielder Jack Colback, far left, in the Black Bull pub, Morpeth

‘But a friend of Karl Darlow has then got protective and weighed in with a punch. It would appear Darlow has also got involved in the fight. Shelvey is now getting some grief from the lads involved, although he was not involved in the actual altercation.’

Shelvey and Darlow, who are currently in China, had been drinking with friends including fellow player Jack Colback in the Black Bull pub.

One woman watching the fight from across the road yelps and says 'that was cheeky', referring to Darlow as 'that keeper guy', after he aims a kick.

As Shelvey is pushed away from the skirmish another man says: 'Jonjo won't do anything, he's a skinny p***k'.

Witnesses filming the row in a takeaway can be heard exclaiming: 'sh**ing hell' as the man was pushed into the road in the scuffle after a 20 minute squabble between 2.50am and 3.10am on Saturday.

Newcastle's Premier League players flew to China for their pre-season tour seven hours later, at 10am, and were thrashed 4-0 by Wolves on Wednesday in Nanjing.

A source has said they had been playing golf during the day before heading out for some drinks.

Newcastle United declined to comment but are sure to investigate. The players are likely to be asked to explain their actions when they return from China this weekend.

MailOnline has asked the players’ agents to comment on the claims. Northumberland Police have said they were not called to the incident.

Jonjo Shelvey is shown here seven hours after the fight boarding a plane for China where the team were thrashed 4-0 by Wolves

Newcastle United Goalkeeper Karl Darlow smiled to photographers at Newcastle airport on Saturday lunchtime

Jonjo Shelvey is married to former S-Club Junior Daisy Evans (together left) while Karl Darlow is in a long-term relationship with girlfriend Lucy Dolezal (together right)

The row appears to have been sparked by an abusive drinker who called Shelvey a 'bald c***'.

Shelvey was born with alopecia, so has little or no hair on his head.

The footballer, who grew up in east London, the Guardian recently: 'It is something I was born with. I fell down the stairs when I was a baby and fractured my skull and I think that made it worse. I think I always stressed myself out as a kid, and alopecia can be caused by stress. I tried things [to cure it] when I was younger. I tried this ointment that you used to rub into your head and you had to sleep in a woolly hat for three months.

'When I was with Arsenal [as a nine-year-old] I used to go into training with a baseball cap on, because I was so scared of what people were thinking when I was growing up. I remember walking through Romford with my sister and I had my bald head and people would stare. My sister would get upset about it and ask people what they were looking at. Now, I've got to the stage that I don't even bother shaving it some days. This is just the way I am, I suppose'.

The players were drinking in Morpeth, a market town 15 miles north of Newcastle popular with the city’s footballers because they are less likely to be bothered by fans.

Several past and present players live in mansions in surrounding villages.

On the pitch billionaire Mike Ashley’s Newcastle United is in chaos after Rafa Benitez quit and Steve Bruce was brought in as manager.

Wolves showed him just how much work he faces at Newcastle by crushing them 4-0 in the Premier League Asia Trophy in Nanjing, China.

Newcastle's goalkeeper Karl Darlow looks at the ball in the net as he team were walloped 4-0 by Wolves

Diogo Jota scored twice and Morgan Gibbs-White also struck in a one-sided first half.

Teenager Tom Allan headed a late own goal as travelling Toon fans chanted ‘Ashley Out’.

Captain Jamaal Lascelles today spoke out about the turmoil at the club.

He said: 'I did think when we came back that it would be quite difficult coming back and not having a manager. I thought players could go off the rails and lose their heads, but they have remained professional.

'(Change) is always difficult as players and this is the first time it has happened to us as a group. We haven't really had any direction.

'The players have to cross the white line and you need heart, passion and desire to be able to do that. Hopefully we can bring a few new faces in as well.'