Former Newcastle United defender Sebastien Bassong is facing a fare evasion accusation over an alleged incident on the London Underground. Transport for London states he used an invalid Staff Nominee Pass to bypass a ticket barrier for a £7 journey.
A TfL employee witnessed the 39-year-old tailgating through a gate after pretending to tap an Oyster card. He then presented the pass, which system checks confirmed did not belong to him and was last used in October 2025. Bassong claimed he did not realise the pass was invalid and said he was handed it by somebody else. He was required to respond to the charge by September 15 but has not done so.
Bassong's Career
Bassong moved to Newcastle from Metz in 2008 before being sold to Tottenham Hotspur for £8 million a year later. He made 71 appearances for Spurs and earned 19 caps for Cameroon before retiring in 2018 after a stint with Greek side Volos. He has since worked as a football pundit.
Newcastle's Current Focus
While this off-field news emerges, the current Newcastle United side sits ninth in the Premier League with eight points from five games. Their most recent result was a 2-1 home win over Hull City on September 19. The squad, which includes top scorer Joe Willock, will be looking to build on a recent run of three wins from their last five outings. Bassong has until September 15 to respond to the Transport for London charge.
The original report is at The Mag
