AN IPSWICH Town footballer who admitted speeding claimed that he drove quickly to avoid being fined by “unreasonable” former boss Roy Keane.

Irish international Damien Delaney, of Ipswich, was fined �335 and given four points on his licence after his Audi A5 car was clocked at 44mph in a 30mph zone.

The offence took place in Tuddenham Road in Ipswich on October 15 last year – when Keane was still in charge of Town.

Delaney’s case was heard at South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court yesterday and he pleaded guilty by post to a charge of speeding.

But Delaney also wrote a letter of mitigation to the magistrates – outlining his reasons for the offence.

Delaney said: “The reason I was going too fast was because I was late for work. I had an unreasonable boss at the time who would not accept lateness and would not have listened to me.

“I was worried that I was going to be fined two weeks wages.”

Keane, who is currently out of work after being sacked by Town, had a reputation during his managerial career for not tolerating lateness from his players.

When he was unveiled as Ipswich boss back in April 2009 Keane said: “All I ask is that players are on time for training and give 100%.

“If they are up for it they’ll enjoy working for me, if not it will be a very brief relationship.”

Last December the club denied reports Keane and Delaney had a training ground bust-up after the player missed games.

Delaney joined Ipswich in the summer of 2009, costing �750,000 from QPR and was Keane’s first signing for the club.

Keane left in January this year.