Ince admitted driving his black Range Rover while over the limit on June 28 in Cheshire.

The ex-England captain had a reading of 49 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath when he was stopped by police, Chester Magistrates court heard on Friday.

Nigel Jones, prosecuting, said: "On the day in question, the defendant was witnessed by an off-duty police officer driving a vehicle perceived to be swerving across the road."

He said the 57-year-old's car swerved across the central reservation, hitting bollards and causing two tyres to burst.

Frank Rogers, defending Ince, said: "My client finds himself today facing the huge impact of a ban, but he accepts he only has himself to blame for that.

"He misjudged the fact he believed at the time he would be under the limit."

Rogers said Ince had been at Heswall Golf Club and had not eaten before having two drinks in the clubhouse.

"He felt fine to drive, of course we now know that he shouldn't have done," Rogers said.

District Judge Jack McGarva told Ince: "The message has got to be if you're going to drive you don't drink at all."

Ince, who also played for Inter Milan and West Ham, earned 53 caps for England, winning two Premier League titles among a host of trophies during his six years as a United midfielder.

He moved into management after retiring, with his most recent spell in charge at Reading ending in 2023.

© 2025 AFP