FORMER Chelsea footballer and captain of Burnley Frank Sinclair has been banned from driving for the second time in a week after he was caught more than two times over the drink drive limit.

The £4,000 a week footballer was stopped by police near his home in Lostock, Bolton, after a night out in Manchester on September 3. Officers in an unmarked police patrol car stopped Sinclair when he was spotted driving erratically at 5.10am. He gave a positive breath sample.

Bolton Magistrates Court heard that 33-year-old Sinclair, of Meadow Brook Close, Lostock, had been banned for six months earlier this week by Calderdale magistrates in West Yorkshire for speeding on the M62 in March and has an earlier conviction for drink driving.

He pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of drink driving. He was banned from driving for three years and the six month ban will be served concurrently. Zoe Salter, prosecuting, said Sinclairs initial breath test revealed that the Sinclair had 73 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath when his black Range Rover Vogue was stopped twice the maximum legal limit of 35 micrograms.

Robert McMaster said the footballer had been out with friends in Manchester the night before he was stopped and was the designated driver.

He had been drinking vodka alternately with bottles of water and felt he was safe to drive home back to Bolton.

"He wishes to express his regret about his appearance in court for this offence," added Mr McMaster. "Clearly he recognises it was foolish and a bad judgement call."

Sinclair was also fined £2,000 plus £43 costs and ordered to attend a drink driving rehabilitation course.