Former Blues defender, academy coach and assistant caretaker-manager Gerard Nash has been charged with drink driving and dangerous driving in his native Republic of Ireland.

Nash, 39, was arrested at 2.55am on November 6th last year in Midleton, County Cork, three days before Cork City, the club he was managing, were beaten 2-0 in the FAI Cup final by Shamrock Rovers, the Leesiders having been relegated from the League of Ireland Premier Division three weeks previously.

He subsequently resigned as manager having been in charge at Turners Cross since May.

In December, he joined Swedish Allsvenskan champions Mjällby AIF as assistant manager.

Nash, who wasn’t present in court, was remanded on bail until a hearing on May 14th.

The Dubliner came through the Town academy but made only one senior appearance for the Blues before cruciate knee ligament injuries ended his playing career prematurely in 2006 and he joined the academy coaching staff, going on to work with the U18s and then the U21s.

Nash, who assisted Bryan Klug during his spell as first-team caretaker-manager following Mick McCarthy's departure in 2018, left Playford Road for a role with the FAI in May 2021, then moved on to Aston Villa’s academy in June 2022 to coach their their U18s before a first spell in Sweden with GAIS as assistant boss.

Photo: Action Images via Reuters