Carlton Cole has admitted pinching an ironing board from the Glasgow flat he lived in during his short spell at Celtic after he was confronted by the landlord on live radio.
The retired striker was left red faced when the owner asked about his missing belongings on a call into talkSPORT.
The 38-year-old was appearing on the station as a guest pundit when he was forced to confess the theft.
Cole admitted he had also taken the iron and revealed they were still in his loft down south six years after he left Scotland.
The former England international blamed his removal men for the error.
He has now vowed to return the items and admitted he should have sent them back sooner.
Cole spent the majority of his career with West Ham United, who, by chance, are nicknamed the Irons.
He signed for Celtic in 2015 and moved into a property in Glasgow's west end but left after only eight months.
He said: "I can't believe he didn't mention the iron. I took that as well.
"Remember I'm an Iron so it's fitting that I took the ironing board and the iron as well.
"I will return it. I've still got it, it's in the loft.
"Basically the removal men took the iron and the ironing board and I said to them 'Whose is this? I didn't put them down on the sheet'.
"They just brought it to me and they were like 'Oh it's a present'.
"I should have sent it back up to be honest."
Cole signed an 18-month contract with Celtic but made only one start and four sub appearances. His only Celtic goal came during a 3-0 Scottish Cup win over Stranraer.
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