Dundee footballer Paul McGowan has been sentenced for spitting on a bouncer outside a nightclub.

The midfielder carried out the attack while on a night out in the city with teammates after the club's player of the year awards in May.

An altercation took place with door staff around 2am outside Underground in South Tay Street, before McGowan, 30, spat on the bouncer.

At Dundee Sheriff Court on Monday, he was given a restriction of liberty order and told to carry out unpaid work after previously pleading guilty to assaulting the bouncer by spitting on him.

A sheriff told him: "It is by a narrow margin you are avoiding a custodial sentence."

McGowan will be forced to stay in his home between 7pm and 7am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights for the next two months.

Sheriff John Rafferty also imposed a community payback order with 12 months supervision and 200 hours of unpaid work .

McGowan will also have to pay his victim £200 compensation.

The sheriff said that was so McGowan could continue to play midweek matches and carry out coaching duties in Dundee's youth setup during the week.

He said: "Unlike many other people who appear in these courts you are someone who has a particular skill and talent - an advantage in life.

"Notwithstanding that you have been before the criminal courts on a number of occasions since 2010.

"Several of these are for crimes of violence and you have previously had the advantage of community based alternatives.

"The court has to impose a sentence which deters others from conduct of that nature.

"Obviously one such deterrent is a custodial sentence.

"However, I am persuaded there may be an alternative in this instance."

McGowan, of Airdrie, already has three separate previous convictions for assaulting police officers dating from 2010, 2013 and 2015.

At the time of his last conviction, McGowan was told he was "on the cusp of custody", but was instead placed on an electronic tag.

The former Celtic player - who also previously starred for Hamilton and St Mirren - signed for Dundee in 2014 and has played more than 120 games for the club, scoring six goals.

Defence solicitor Elaine Rae said McGowan claimed he had been punched moments before the spitting attack.

She said: "His behaviour was fuelled by the consumption of alcohol.

"He very rarely goes out drinking and he recognises the complainer was only doing his job.

"There's clearly a correlation between his consumption of alcohol and this behaviour.

"Fortunately there was no physical harm caused though I don't seek to minimise his conduct."

McGowan declined to comment as he left court.