Ex-Newcastle United winger Sammy Ameobi has avoided a driving ban despite being clocked doing 80mph in a 40mph zone.
The Newcastle-born 26-year-old was looking at a two-month ban after he was caught speeding in his £189,000 four-litre Mercedes supercar.
But the ex-England under-21 player said he needed his 186mph AMG S 63 Auto as there was ''no other way'' to make the 160-mile journey to Championship team Nottingham Forest from his home in the North East.
He claimed there would be a ''problem'' with travelling to the club even though commuters can in fact get regular trains from Newcastle to Nottingham but have to change at Sheffield, the Manchester Evening News reports .
According the Trainline website, on an average weekday, there are 39 trains travelling from Newcastle to Nottingham with journeys lasting as little as two hours and 53 minutes. It takes an estimated three hours to get from Newcastle to Nottingham by car.
At Manchester Magistrates' Court, Ameobi admitted speeding but escaped with six penalty points on his licence. He was also fined £750 and ordered to pay costs of £75 and an £85 victim surcharge.
The incident occurred on October 8 2018 when Ameobi was still playing for Bolton Wanderers. He was thought to be late for morning training when a speed camera clocking him travelling at high speed along the A6 Broad Street, in Salford, the Manchester Evening News reports .
Representing himself the footballer whom plays for the Nigerian national team told JPs: ''This occurred in the morning.
''I regret what I did it was stupid and reckless and I guess being late for work isn’t an excuse to do that. But prior to this I had zero points on my licence.
''I know I messed up but also I have just moved to Nottingham - I’m working there now me and my fiancé have moved too.
''There’s no really other way to get to there with trains and stuff other than driving so it would be a problem if I wasn’t able to drive.
''I really need my car because of the nature of my job. We do a lot of work in the community working with kids in hospitals and stuff.''
He added: ''I’m a footballer. Because of what I do, we work with kids too.''
Magistrates told him: ''We have considered what you said and we understand it was a one off. You say you work with children and whilst this occurred early in the morning who knows what could have happened."
Christian Ameobi joined Newcastle United's youth academy in 2008 but struggled to establish himself in the first team, making 70 appearances during a seven-year spell.
He joined Bolton in 2017 full time but left in the summer following a dispute over unpaid wages and signed with Nottingham Forest on a one year deal.
His two older brothers Shola and Tomi also played for Newcastle United.
