A FORMER Middlesbrough Football Club defender and current coach at Hartlepool United has been banned from the roads after being caught drink-driving.

Matthew Bates, 30, pleaded guilty to driving his Mercedes E250 while almost twice over the legal drink-drive limit after meeting up with a friend for drinks.

Bates – who spent the majority of his playing career at Middlesbrough FC between 2004 and 2012 before joining the Pools in 2014 – was pulled over by police in Middleton St George, near Darlington.

Sam Brewster, mitigating, stated his client had driven just 500 yards along Thorntree Villas before being stopped, breathalysed and arrested on the afternoon of September 6.

Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court heard on Thursday that the 30-year-old player-turned-coach had no previous convictions and was a man “of previous good character”.

Mr Brewster said: “The circumstances were that he’d gone out to meet up with a friend who was back from working offshore and they had gone for some food and drinks together and he very stupidly decided to drive home.

“He had gone about 500 yards before he was stopped by the police.”

The court heard that Bates, of The Crescent, in Carlton-in-Cleveland, near Stokesley, sold his property in Long Newton, near Stockton, in a bid to make his commute to work easier.

Mr Brewster added: “He knows full well that he’s due to be disqualified and he’s already taken some steps in his life to address that.

“He’s recently moved home in the anticipation of today’s case to make it easier for him to get to work and to be nearer to his four-year-old son for childcare.”

Chairman of the bench, Colling Morris, banned Bates from driving for 17 months and fined £600.

Addressing Bates, Mr Morris said: “We’re going to give you the benefit of having no previous so you will be disqualified for 17 months.”

He must also pay £85 court costs and a £64 victim surcharge.

Bates was appointed as caretaker manager of Hartlepool United for the final two matches of the 2016-17 season following the dismissal of Dave Jones.

The father-of-one is now part of the club’s coaching staff.

Bates was also offered a drink-driving rehabilitation course by the magistrates.