By . Emma Reynolds . PUBLISHED: . 08:58 EST, 3 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:38 EST, 4 December 2012 . A picture of Premier League footballer Liam Ridgewell wiping his backside with a wad of £20 notes has infuriated fans. The West Brom defender was photographed squatting over the toilet in the bathroom of his £1.5million home in Barnt Green, Birmingham, with his trousers down. Ridgewell, 28, earns around £20,000 a week - the average annual salary in the West Midlands. Toilet humour: Fans were unimpressed with the photo of Liam Ridgewell wiping his backside with £20 notes in the bathroom of his £1.5million home . He claims the image, in which roughly £1,000 in cash is scattered around him, was simply a 'joke' intended to wind up a friend who had lost a bet. But angry West Brom fans labelled the picture 'arrogant' and 'idiotic'. The offensive picture was sent to The Sun by a supporter who asked not to be named. He said: 'The people of West Bromwich . earn a fraction of what this idiot earns yet he makes a mockery of his . good fortune like this. It makes me sick. 'We’ve always thought footballers were arrogant, overpaid buffoons and this just proves it.' Sorry: Ridgewell, left, last night apologised for the picture, which he said was taken after he won a bet, to 'wind up a mate'. Right, a picture of the player's locker strewn with toilet roll was tweeted today . Other fans at West Brom's home match against Stoke yesterday said the picture was 'insensitive' to people who had to scrape together the money to watch Ridgewell play. Ridgewell, an unused sub in his team’s 1-0 defeat, apologised last night. 'The photo was taken in the . privacy of my home around eight months ago as a joke to wind up a mate, . who I had just won a personal bet with,' he said. 'I only intended him to see the photo . but now it’s public, I can understand how it will be viewed. I am sorry . for any offence it causes.' His agent Rob Segal told Mail Online today: 'All I can say is, it was a joke that actually wasn’t funny at all, it was intended as a private joke with his friends and he sincerely regrets it.' Fury: Fans labelled the 28-year-old (right, taking on Sunderland's Stephane Sessegnon) 'arrogant', 'overpaid' and an 'idiot' A spokesman for West Brom, who are fifth in the Premier League table, said: 'This is a private issue for Liam that has become public. 'As a result, it does not put the club in a good light and we will deal with the matter internally. 'However, we would like to stress that, since Liam joined us 11 months ago, his conduct whilst on club duty has been exemplary.' Ridgewell's teammates today cemented his embarrassment by plastering his locker with toilet roll and posting a photo of it on Twitter. West Brom player Steven Reid posted the picture along with the comment, 'Guess the locker.......' The star is no stranger to controversy. Last year, he cancelled his £170,000 wedding to 23-year-old Kirsty Maclaren, mother of his two children, eight days before the big day. He informed the 200 guests by text that the nuptials were cancelled.
Liam Ridgewell was seen squatting over toilet in his £1.5million home .
The 28-year-old had around £1,000 in notes scattered around him .
He earns as much in a week as the average West Midlander does in a year .
Ridgewell last night apologised for what was meant to be a private joke .
Angry fans labelled the defender 'arrogant' and 'idiotic'
By . Emma Reynolds . PUBLISHED: . 08:58 EST, 3 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:38 EST, 4 December 2012 . A picture of Premier League footballer Liam Ridgewell wiping his backside with a wad of £20 notes has infuriated fans. The West Brom defender was photographed squatting over the toilet in the bathroom of his £1.5million home in Barnt Green, Birmingham, with his trousers down. Ridgewell, 28, earns around £20,000 a week - the average annual salary in the West Midlands. Toilet humour: Fans were unimpressed with the photo of Liam Ridgewell wiping his backside with £20 notes in the bathroom of his £1.5million home . He claims the image, in which roughly £1,000 in cash is scattered around him, was simply a 'joke' intended to wind up a friend who had lost a bet. But angry West Brom fans labelled the picture 'arrogant' and 'idiotic'. The offensive picture was sent to The Sun by a supporter who asked not to be named. He said: 'The people of West Bromwich . earn a fraction of what this idiot earns yet he makes a mockery of his . good fortune like this. It makes me sick. 'We’ve always thought footballers were arrogant, overpaid buffoons and this just proves it.' Sorry: Ridgewell, left, last night apologised for the picture, which he said was taken after he won a bet, to 'wind up a mate'. Right, a picture of the player's locker strewn with toilet roll was tweeted today . Other fans at West Brom's home match against Stoke yesterday said the picture was 'insensitive' to people who had to scrape together the money to watch Ridgewell play. Ridgewell, an unused sub in his team’s 1-0 defeat, apologised last night. 'The photo was taken in the . privacy of my home around eight months ago as a joke to wind up a mate, . who I had just won a personal bet with,' he said. 'I only intended him to see the photo . but now it’s public, I can understand how it will be viewed. I am sorry . for any offence it causes.' His agent Rob Segal told Mail Online today: 'All I can say is, it was a joke that actually wasn’t funny at all, it was intended as a private joke with his friends and he sincerely regrets it.' Fury: Fans labelled the 28-year-old (right, taking on Sunderland's Stephane Sessegnon) 'arrogant', 'overpaid' and an 'idiot' A spokesman for West Brom, who are fifth in the Premier League table, said: 'This is a private issue for Liam that has become public. 'As a result, it does not put the club in a good light and we will deal with the matter internally. 'However, we would like to stress that, since Liam joined us 11 months ago, his conduct whilst on club duty has been exemplary.' Ridgewell's teammates today cemented his embarrassment by plastering his locker with toilet roll and posting a photo of it on Twitter. West Brom player Steven Reid posted the picture along with the comment, 'Guess the locker.......' The star is no stranger to controversy. Last year, he cancelled his £170,000 wedding to 23-year-old Kirsty Maclaren, mother of his two children, eight days before the big day. He informed the 200 guests by text that the nuptials were cancelled.
West Brom defender was photographed squatting over the toilet in the bathroom of his £20,000 a week - the average annual salary in the bathroom of his £1.5million home . He claims the scattered around him, was simply a 'joke' But angry West Brom fans labelled the picture 'arrogant' and 'idiotic'. The offensive picture to be named. He said: 'The people of West Sorry: Ridgewell, left, last night apologised for all, it was intended as a private joke with his