DUNDEE United player Paul Paton has been fined £500 after punching former Celtic goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska.

The 28-year-old was out with his friend when he met team mate Mark Wilson and joined his group to socialise.

At the end of their night in Ashton Lane, they met Mr Zaluska, who Mr Wilson knew from his time at Celtic.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that Mr Zaluska said "You are Rangers" to Paton after he introduced himself and claimed to hate Rangers and "wanted to kill all Rangers fans". It was also heard that he shouted "I will kill you" to Paton.

After Mr Zaluska left Ashton Lane with Mr Wilson and went on to Byres Road, Paton punched the former Celtic goalkeeper on the head, causing him to slide down the side of a taxi.

Paton then walked away from the incident and a short time later Mr Zaluska was found unconscious and bleeding on the ground in Ashton Lane. After a trial at the court where Mr Paton, from Paisley, was accused of repeatedly hitting Mr Zaluska and causing injury, the Crown amended the charge and he pled guilty.

He admitted punching Mr Zaluska on the head on October 20 at Byres Road, Glasgow.

Sheriff Andrew Normand fined him £500 and told him: "It's clear this is an incident which you regret."

But he told Paton he should not have got involved.

Former Celtic and Dundee United player Mr Wilson gave evidence at the trial earlier yesterday and said he was with Paton in Ashton Lane when he saw Mr Zaluska as they were walking towards Byres Road to get a taxi.

The witness told procurator fiscal depute Stephen Ferguson, that while chatting to him, Paton introduced himself to Mr Zaluska.

He said: "Lukasz shook his hand then continued to look as if he was going to continue his conversation with myself, then turned to Paul and said 'you are Rangers', to Paul.

"Paul said 'No, I play with Mark'."

Mr Wilson added: "He went on, he wouldn't let it go. He said 'You are Rangers, I hate Rangers'. Paul said to me 'Is this guy joking?'. I remember Paul saying that quite clearly."

He said Mr Zaluska was "kind of being aggressive" and Mr Wilson stood in between the two men.

The former Celtic player ushered Mr Zaluska out of the lane to Byres Road. It was heard that Mr Zaluska turned around and started shouting things up the lane. It was heard that Mr Zaluska also threatened to kill Paton.

The court was told Paton went down the lane towards the men and said "What are you saying?" and "You can't be saying things like that in the street."

Mr Wilson said the shouting continued and Paton told him to stop. He said Paton reached over his shoulder and hit Mr Zaluska in what he described was a "kind of push, slap" to his face and he stumbled back.

The witness said he did not know if he caught the kerb but that Mr Zaluska fell into a taxi and at that point he "had enough" and went to get his wife and they went into another lane nearby.

Mr Wilson said he then heard a commotion and saw Mr Zaluska unconscious on the ground and bleeding from the head. Mr Wilson said he did not see where Paton was and that when Mr Zaluska came to, he asked where Paton was.

The court heard he waited with him until the police arrived and the ambulance, and he had been checked over.

Defence lawyer Billy Lavelle said: "Mr Paton faced substantial provocation from the other gentleman."

He added that it does not justify his client's actions but "perhaps gives a background" and that on that day he "felt he couldn't take any more of the abuse".

The solicitor advocate said: "He has never denied that, the question was whether there was a second incident, which he did not accept."

Paton declined to comment as he left the court.