SUNDERLAND have suspended Darron Gibson with immediate effect after the midfielder was charged with drink driving yesterday.

Gibson was involved in a car accident on Sunderland’s Dovedale Road shortly before noon yesterday, just three hours before his club were due to play Preston in a game they went on to lose 2-0.

The Northern Echo:

SUSPENDED: Sunderland midfielder Darron Gibson

Gibson was not due to have been involved in that game as he is currently recovering from injury, but his £75,000 Mercedes was left badly damaged after the incident.

Eye-witness claim there was an initial collision involving a Nissan Note before further cars were damaged, including a Seat Ibiza that was sent careering down the road by the force of the impact.

Gibson, who is a Republic of Ireland international who began his career with Manchester United, was photographed talking to police at the scene. He was arrested and has been charged with driving with excess alcohol.

Sunderland boss Chris Coleman did not want to discuss the situation in too much depth in the wake of yesterday’s game, as he was not in full possession of the facts. However, Sunderland have moved quickly this morning to suspend Gibson with immediate effect.

A Sunderland statement said: “Sunderland AFC has suspended Darron Gibson with immediate effect, after the player was charged with driving with excess alcohol on Saturday 17 March. The football club has commenced a full investigation into the matter.”

Sunderland chief executive, Martin Bain, added: “We expect the highest standard of behaviour from our players and should any individual fall short of those standards then robust action must be taken.”

This is not the first time that Gibson has hit the headlines for the wrong reasons during his Sunderland career, as last summer he was filmed criticising the club’s supporters in a bar.

He admitted to supporters that Sunderland were “f***ing s**t”, and also accused some team-mates of “not giving a f*** about the club” before threating to punch a fan.

A Northumbria Police spokesman has confirmed that a 30-year-old man has been arrested for drink driving, and was held in custody yesterday.

He said: "A 30-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of driving over the legal alcohol limit and he is currently in police custody.

"Inquiries are ongoing and the arrest follows the report of a car colliding with a number of parked vehicles in Dovedale Road, Sunderland.

"Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact police on 101 quoting incident number 458 of March 17."