RANGERS and Scotland footballer Ally McCoist apologised in court yesterday to his army of fans after admitting drink driving.

McCoist was banned for 15 months and fined #2500 - one of the highest ever fines for the offence.

The footballer's arrest followed a night of celebration after scoring against Arsenal at Ibrox last Saturday.

Yesterday, he appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court the day after scoring a vital European Cup goal for Rangers against Russian champions, Alania Vladikavkaz, and admitted having twice the alcohol limit at 4am in Glasgow city centre after the Arsenal game.

Prosecuting, Miss Dawn Brock said police on mobile patrol were alerted by the manner of McCoist's driving in St Vincent Street.

He was straying about the roadway and when they stopped his car they smelled drink. Breath tests showed he had 71 microgrammes of alcohol in his breath - 36 over the limit of 35.

McCoist's solicitor, Mr Jim Peacock, told Sheriff Bruce Kerr that the player had been at a race meeting at Hamilton earlier in the evening where he had one beer.

Afterwards, he had another five beers at a victory celebration in a Glasgow club and stupidly drove home instead of taking a taxi.

He had been drinking a foreign beer which was much stronger than the domestic variety and did not think he would be over the limit.

Mr Peacock said that because of the game against Arsenal, the footballer had only a light breakfast and no lunch, and had eaten very little later.

He told the sheriff that the 33-year-old striker was hero-worshipped by thousands of fans in Scotland and throughout the world.

The lawyer said: ``Such has been his exploits that he was awarded the MBE for services to football.''

He told the court McCoist spent a lot of time with his family and doing charity work, in particular for brain damaged children.

Mr Peacock added: ``He is the object of hero worship, and is known as ``Super Ally''.

``But today he is here in court as an ordinary mortal and realises that no man is above the law.''

He said McCoist and his family had been humiliated by his act of ``crass stupidity''.

Mr Peacock continued: ``He has urged me to say he apologises profusely to everyone concerned, the police, the club, the procurator fiscal, your lordship, for all the trouble he has caused.

``And in particular he apologises to youngsters and the army of fans who idolise him, and to whom he hopes this will be as salutary a lesson as it has been to him.

``He is determined that he won't re-offend.''

Mr Peacock said McCoist wanted to plead guilty as early as possible and he told the sheriff he would pay a substantial fine in order to have his disqualification restricted.

Sheriff Kerr told McCoist he must have been aware that disqualification was inevitable and added that he would treat him as he would treat everyone else in his court, except for the fine.