Following a horrific start to the season for his boyhood club Everton, England star Wayne Rooney, too, suffered a major blow after being slapped with a two-year driving ban and 12-month community order (100 hours of unpaid work) on the charge of driving under influence.

The English footballer was arrested at 21m on 1 September while driving a 29-year-old single mother home in her black Volkswagen Beetle after a night out in Wilmslow, Northwest England. To everyone's surprise, Rooney was almost three times the legal limit when he was stopped by the police.

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A breathalyser test revealed that his alcohol level was 104 microgrammes in 100 mililitres of breath. To put that in perspective, the drink-drive limit in England and Wales is 35 microgrammes per 100 mililitres of breath.

After pleading guilty to the charge in court, the Everton footballer issued a statement of apology for his antics. "I want publicly to apologise for my unforgivable lack of judgment in driving while over the legal limit. It was completely wrong.

My statement of apology - https://t.co/51WmrVDCev

— Wayne Rooney (@WayneRooney) September 18, 2017

I have already said sorry to my family, my manager and chairman and everyone at Everton FC. Now I want to apologise to all the fans and everyone else who has followed and supported me throughout my career. Of course I accept the sentence of the court and hope that I can make some amends through my community service," he said.

Rooney's community service will be reduced to 24 weeks if he undergoes a specialist driving course by February 2, 2019. He has also been fined two weeks' wages by his club Everton, reported to amount to 300,000 pounds.

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The all-time leading scorer for England, Rooney announced his retirement from international football last month after 53 international goals in 119 appearances for his country.

On Sunday, Rooney made something of an unhappy return to former team Manchester United for the first time since leaving the club to rejoin his boyhood side Everton, being on the wrong end of a 4-0 score line. And, with the latest court verdict on the star, the Twitter users wasted no time in poking fun at Rooney.

Wayne Rooney  interviewed coming out of court scratches the side of his  head saying he's disappointed not to get three points

— Bolo (@BPpx2) September 18, 2017

.@WayneRooney banned for 2 years driving and sentenced to 100 hours community service . I always thought his best position was a sweeper .

— Lord Sugar (@Lord_Sugar) September 18, 2017

Wayne Rooney's community service, helping the disadvantaged will take place at Everton's training ground, working with their defenders.

— Steven Gerrard (@Gerrard8FanPage) September 18, 2017

Hi wayne do u want picking up in the morning pal

— Jordan Coombe (@Jordan_Coombe) September 18, 2017

Hi rio can you pick me up in the morning pal

— - (@UtdSoham) September 18, 2017

Imagine driving through Liverpool and seeing Wayne Rooney at the side of the road picking up litter.

— Jordan Coombe (@Jordan_Coombe) September 18, 2017

Well he speaks rubbish anyway so he should be able to pick it up

— lauren bluemel ð (@lauren101xx) September 18, 2017

Not much difference 100 hrs service of litter picking,that's a night out for him he just forgot to sober up and drop off the litter!! ð³

— sj (@SarahSjs07) September 18, 2017

Better than picking up grannies I suppose...

— Franck (@Franck_chester) September 18, 2017

That's no way to talk about the girls he goes For!! !

— SpockDiddly (@wesrutter) September 18, 2017

If Wayne Rooney gets 6 points on his license, he goes above Everton.

— Walesby FC (@WalesbyFC) September 18, 2017