Jermaine Pennant has admitted that he had been out partying until 6am the night before he scored a hat-trick on his full league debut for Arsenal.
The controversial winger said he could even feel the vodka bouncing in his stomach as he helped the Gunners thrash Southampton 6-1 at Highbury in 2003.
Pennant completed his £2million move to Arsenal from Notts County in 1999 at the age of 15, going on to make his senior debut in League Cup against Middlesbrough before going out on loan to Watford.
The former Portsmouth and Liverpool attacker then made a cameo appearance in Arsenal's 3-2 defeat to Leeds in 2003, which saw Manchester United clinch the Premier League title.
With the end of the season in sight, Pennant believed he wouldn't be picked for any of Arsenal's remaining fixtures and instead went out partying the night before their game with the Saints.
Much to Pennant's surprise, Arsene Wenger decided to throw the then 19-year-old into the mix not knowing of the teenager's escapades just hours before.
Pennant told FourFourTwo: 'I'd been out the night before and had a big night, because I really didn't think I would be playing, never mind starting the game.
'I'd never started a game for Arsenal and I didn't think that'd change, especially as Robert Pires, Freddie Ljungberg and Ray Parlour were all in the squad. I was guaranteed to be on the bench.
'I thought, 'Sod it', went to an FHM party and got home at around 6am. I couldn't believe it when I saw my name in the starting line-up! I was still so hungover when I was playing; I just did everything in my power not to embarrass myself.
'I can't believe I scored. It was just a huge relief – I thought, 'OK, you can take me off now. Please, Arsene!' I felt so sick and I could feel the vodka still bouncing around in my stomach. You could smell it on my breath, too.
'I did OK to score a hat-trick: it shows I had talent, though it helps when you're playing with Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira. That was the first game of Arsenal's 49-game unbeaten run.'