Ex-Arsenal starlet jailed over £600k cannabis plot signs for new club after release from prison
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A FORMER Arsenal starlet who was jailed over a £600k cannabis plot has returned to football.
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas was released from prison earlier this month on parole despite being sentenced to four years in June.
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Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has signed for AFC Totton
Credit: https://x.com/AFCTotton
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He has been in jail for a drug plot worth £600k
Credit: PA
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He came through the youth academy at Arsenal
Credit: Getty
The forward had already served 10 months of the sentence in HMP Chelmsford.
Emmanuel-Thomas, 34, was first arrested after border officials seized two suitcases containing £600k worth of cannabis at Stansted Airport.
The drugs, which weighed around 60kg, had arrived via flight from Bangkok in Thailand.
Chelmsford Crown Court heard the drugs were brought into the UK by Emmanuel-Thomas' girlfriend Yasmin Piotrowska.
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She had flown business class to Stanstead Airport with Rosie Rowland to carry out the plot on September 2.
He has now made his return to football, having signed for National League South side AFC Totton.
The former Gunner was announced as a stag on social media.
A statement read: "We are absolutely delighted to welcome Jay Emmanuel-Thomas to the club.
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"Jay joins us with a wealth of experience in the Championship and we're sure his goals will lead to a successful season here on the South Coast."
He will wear the no.14 shirt for the Stags.
Ex-Arsenal starlet jailed over plot to smuggle £600k of cannabis into UK
Emmanuel-Thomas is a former England under-17 and under-19 international.
He began his career at Arsenal before playing for various clubs - including Ipswich Town, Bristol City, QPR, Livingston and Aberdeen.
While at the Gunners, he did make five first-team appearances, including one in the Premier League and one in the Champions League.
However, both of those substitute appearances ended in defeat as Arsenal lost to Shakhtar Donetsk and Chelsea.
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Greenock Mortons sacked Emmanuel Thomson after he was arrested
Credit: © Jamie Williamson, All rights reserved
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He has also played for Aberdeen in Scotland
Credit: PA
It was his spell at Bristol City between 2013 and 2015 that he enjoyed the most success.
He played 103 times for the Robins, scoring 33 goals and assisting 20.
He was sacked by Scottish club Greenock Morton following his arrest last year.
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