CITY midfielder Matty Pattison has been banned from driving for 20 months after admitting a charge of drink-driving.

Pattison, 21, pleaded guilty to the charges at Norwich Magistrates Court today and was given a 20-month ban, fined £2,300 and ordered to pay £60 in costs.

The former Newcastle player agreed to take part in the Drinkwise course, a rehabilitation course for drink-drivers, which will reduce his ban by five months if he successfully completes it by the end of April.

Norwich City Football Club today issued the following statement: "The Club notes the sentence given to Matty Pattison following today's hearing at Norwich Magistrates Court in connection with his recent arrest for driving while under the influence of alcohol.

"Both the player - who pleaded guilty to the offence - and the Club fully accept and support the sentence handed down by the Magistrates. Matty genuinely and sincerely regrets his behaviour and the Club will support his determination to learn from this serious breach of his position of responsibility as a Norwich City player.

"The Club is committed to working with Police and other relevant local authorities and welfare groups to promote responsible citizenship - and this includes a very firm stance against drink-driving and other forms of irresponsible or anti-social behaviour.

We will continue to drive this message home during the programme of development in place to educate young players in our Academy and to support local initiatives aimed at driving home these messages to the wider community."

After the court hearing, Pattison issued a statement of his own, saying: "I sincerely regret the actions which have led to me coming to court today. I fully accept the sentence handed to me by the Magistrates and I am determined to learn from my mistake.

"I would like to say sorry to the Magistrates and the Police for taking up their time."