When drink-driving comes up in a football context, the chat usually turns into either moral outrage or a bit of shrugging acceptance. Truth is, it shouldn’t be either. It’s serious, full stop. But it’s also true that loads of people, players and punters alike, have historically underestimated what “good to go” actually means the morning after.
The bit people get wrong: the morning-after myth
The point that keeps getting missed is simple: you can feel fine and still be over the limit. That’s the trap. You wake up, head feels clear enough, maybe you’ve had a roll and a coffee, and you convince yourself you’re safe. In reality, alcohol doesn’t disappear because you slept for a few hours.
The old football culture, especially years back, didn’t help either. Nights out were normal, and the idea that a player is somehow different from everyone else is nonsense. Players are human beings with the same blind spots and daft decisions as the rest of us. That doesn’t excuse it, but it explains why it happens.
Units and timing: why “just one more” adds up
The rough rule of thumb a lot of folk go by is that it takes time for alcohol to even start being cleared, then you’re looking at around a unit an hour after that. So a “decent night” can spill well into the next day.
Put it in everyday terms. If you’re on it from about 8pm and you’ve had a bottle of wine plus a few extras, you might not be anywhere near safe to drive until around lunchtime. Same goes for pints, shorts, cocktails, the lot. It’s not about how tough you think you are, or whether you “feel alright”. It’s about what’s still in your bloodstream.
Even a pint that seems harmless on paper can carry more units than people assume, and spirits rack up quickly. That’s how someone ends up thinking they’ve sobered up, when they’ve actually just stopped feeling drunk.
Rangers fans know standards matter
From a Rangers point of view, supporters will always demand professionalism, because that’s what the badge deserves. But the wider point matters too: it’s not only about a footballer’s career or reputation. It’s about other people on the road.
So if this conversation leads anywhere useful, it should be towards basic awareness. If you’ve had a proper night, you plan not to drive the next morning. No guesswork, no “I’ll be fine”. Just make arrangements. It’s boring advice, but it’s the only kind that actually prevents disasters.
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