EVERYONE knows Eastleigh Football Club are desperate for points as they seek to climb the National League One.

And new manager Andy Hessenthaler may have been able to help - he could have collected a load for speeding offences.

Hessenthaler was caught speeding FOUR times in a seven-week period on the same stretch of Southampton road.

The Eastleigh Football Club manager was captured by an automatic speed camera on St Mary’s Place/Kingsway next to Hoglands Park in the city centre.

But instead of picking up penalty points Hessenthaler, 52, has been banned from driving for six months after admitting the offences when he appeared at Aldershot Magistrates Court.

Magistrates also fined him £185 for each offence, totalling £740, and £340 costs.

The court heard that his 66-reg Mercedes was captured speeding on St Mary’s Place/Kingsway on July 17, August 7, August 18 and September 4 last year.

The offending speeds were 39 miles per hour, 38mph, 40mph and 36 mph on a stretch where the limit is 30mph.

Hessenthaler, of Maidstone Road, Gillingham, Kent, was promoted to the manager’s post of the National League One club last November after joining the club as manager Richard Hill’s assistant at the start of the season last summer. Mr Hill has moved to a full-time director of football role.

During a long professional career, as a tough-tackling midfielder, Hessenthaler played 195 times for Watford and 303 times for Gillingham, as well as Barnet.

He joined the professional ranks at the late age of 26 years and had previously worked as a builder. After retiring from playing the game, he has also managed Gillingham, Dover Athletic and Leyton Orient. His son Jake is also a professional footballer.

A club spokesman declined to comment yesterday.

Hessenthaler is not the only footballer to be caught on the A33 St Mary’s Place/Kingsway.

Saints’ record signing, the Moroccan attacking midfielder Sofiane Boufal, was fined more than £800 last June for speeding on the same stretch in December 2016.