The 56 year-old ex-Arsenal star already had three speeding convictions on his driving licence and the additional penalty points triggered an automatic ban.
The Sky TV ’Soccer Saturday’ star, of Victor Road, Teddington, Richmond-upon-Thames, appeared at Guildford Magistrates’ Court, where he received three penalty points for each new offence.
He was repeatedly caught driving his silver three litre VW Touareg over the speed limit in south-west London and Surrey throughout 2023.
Merson pleaded guilty to exceeding the 50mph limit on the M3 motorway in Thorpe, Surrey on February 27, last year by driving 10mph over the limit.
He also admitted twice exceeding the 40mph speed limit on Great Chertsey Road, Twickenham by 7mph on both occasions on September 9 and September 11.
Merson further pleaded guilty to exceeding the 50mph limit in Country Way, Feltham on October 1 by driving at 7mph over the limit.
“We have heard what has been said on your behalf and take into account your guilty pleas and the circumstances and the speeds you were doing,” magistrate Joan Lindsay told him.
“However these were four matters in a relatively short period of time and looking at your driving record, which is not great we will add points and you will be a totter and be disqualified.”
The magistrates also fined Merson £2,640, with £110 costs and ordered him to pay a £1,056 victim surcharge.
Merson made a total of 749 club appearances, scoring 154 goals and won 21 full England caps, scoring three international goals during his playing career.
The Harlesden-born forward was a product of the Arsenal youth system and went onto play for Middlesbrough, Aston Villa, Portsmouth and Walsall.
Three-times married Merson is a father-of-eight and currently shares a £900,000 house with his wife and their three children, aged nine, six and three years-old, with the eldest attending Chelsea FC’s football academy.
His lawyer Nicholas Maggs told the court: “There are no aggravating features beyond the fact of the speed and because of the number of offences, Mr Merson faces totting up.
“I wish to express his remorse. He pleaded guilty by post at the earliest opportunity and apologises to the court through me.
“In each case these are relatively modest speeds, compared to some these courts consider.
“These are roads with variable speed limits, they go up and down and Mr Merson did not appreciate at the time that they were varied.
“The disqualification will have a substantial effect on him and his family. He lives with his wife, who does not drive, and their three children.
“Mr Merson is responsible for the school run for the two oldest children and his son, aged nine, plays for Chelsea Academy, which is a forty-five minute drive for him.
“This is a substantial commitment with matches and practice four times a week and Mr Merson is the only option for driving his son there.
“It is going to make things substantially more difficult.”
In 2021 Merson revealed his gambling addiction costs him almost £7 million, resulting in the losses of houses, cars, his pension, marriages and ultimately his self-respect.
“As a younger man Mr Merson suffered a number of difficulties himself and has tried to turn that around and speaks to different organisations every week.
“Sometimes these are charity events, not paid, and the purpose is to help young people address their own mental health problems, whether that’s gambling or alcohol addiction,” explained Mr Maggs.
“He has received a number of replies saying how positively he has effected them and his work has contributed to a government white paper concerning gambling.
“The advertising of the gambling companies had changed and they now take much more responsibility regarding their customers and how much money they are gambling.
“Mr Merson has played a significant part in general terms, specifically regarding gambling and mental health with young men who have an interest in football and know him.
“He is not seeking to say his son will not attend football and he will not attend speaking engagements as he sees that as an important part of his daily and weekly life, but the disqualification will make things more difficult for him and his family.
“These speeding offences were not significantly over the limit and he acknowledges it is not acceptable and expresses his remorse for that.”
“Driving while disqualified is a very serious offence so do not risk it,” the magistrate Mrs Lindsay told Merson. “Do not risk it, even for short periods as it is an imprisonable offence.”
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