FOOTBALL star Ledley King is fighting to stave off a driving ban by contesting a speed camera’s reading that he drove at 105mph on the A14 in Suffolk.

The Tottenham and England defender has admitted speeding at Exning, near Newmarket, shortly after returning from World Cup duty in South Africa.

However, a hearing at Sudbury Magistrates’ Court yesterday set a date for a Newton hearing which will be held next month to establish how fast he was travelling.

The 29-year-old Spurs club captain was caught speeding in his Mercedes on June 29, by a manned camera. A summons issued to the footballer following the incident stated that on June 29 he drove a motor vehicle on a dual carriageway, namely the A142 junction with the A14, at a speed exceeding 70mph.

King, of Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, also pleaded guilty to driving a car with windows which were insufficient for the transmission of light.

This offence is understood to have applied to the front nearside and offside tinted windows.

King did not appear in court for yesterday’s hearing.

His Newton hearing is set to take place at Sudbury Magistrates’ Court on November 30.

He pleaded guilty to speeding at an earlier hearing.

King is Tottenham’s club captain and longest-serving member of the club’s playing staff.

Over the past four years, his career has been blighted by injury.

He was in England’s squad for the World Cup, in South Africa, and last played in the team’s opening 1-1 draw against USA. However, King’s injury jinx struck again and he was substituted at half-time.

He made his senior debut for Spurs as an 18-year-old, coming on as a substitute during a 3-2 defeat against Liverpool at Anfield in May 1999.

King still holds the record for the fastest goal in Premier League history, scoring after 10 seconds against Bradford City.