England-wide ban on soccer hooligans

THREE Aberdeen football hooligans yesterday became the first fans from the north-east of Scotland to be barred from every league ground in England.

The three yobs, who each received six-year bans, were also jailed for three months for their role in a major outbreak of violence in the streets of Bradford after rival fans clashed following a so-called friendly match between the Dons and Bradford City last summer.

Bradford Magistrates Court was told that the violence erupted when groups of fans from both clubs clashed in Bradford’s Ivegate during Bradford City's centenary tournament in July.

Punches and kicks were thrown while tables and signs were also hurled before police brought the trouble under control.

The three Dons fans, who were each jailed for three months after pleading guilty to violent disorder, are Scott Garden, 33, of Colonsay Crescent, Sheddocksley, Aberdeen; Kenneth Massie, 31, of Hyefield Lodge, Hatton, Peterhead; and Steven Wood, 24, of Craignook Road, Dyce, Aberdeen. John Cameron, 29, of Elmbank Road, Aberdeen, who also was due to be sentenced yesterday for violent disorder, failed to turn up for the hearing and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Aberdeen Football Club last night announced that all three men would also be banned from Pittodrie.

Dave McDiarmid, a spokesman for Aberdeen Football Club, told The Scotsman: "We will be writing to these men and telling them they are not welcome at Pittodrie any more."

He added: "As far as I am aware, this is the first time that so-called Aberdeen fans have been banned from football grounds in England and it is action we would support. Every club suffers when there is an incident like this. It is not just Aberdeen Football Club but football in general that is affected and everyone wants to clean up the game as best they can."

Detectives from Grampian Police worked closely with West Yorkshire Police to identify the Aberdeen-based fans involved in the disorder. The force’s Detective Inspector Adrian Watson said: "We are satisfied with the verdict of the court at Bradford and hopefully this will re-affirm the message that football hooliganism will not be tolerated in any shape or form.

"Grampian Police worked closely with West Yorkshire Police in identifying the Aberdeen football hooligans in this case and it re- emphasises our desire to deal positively with this issue."

He stressed: "Thankfully, we are talking about a very small number of known troublemakers, whom the genuine Aberdeen football supporters want nothing to do with.

"I can assure you that Grampian Police, in partnership with, amongst others, Aberdeen Football Club, the Aberdeen Football Supporters’ Association and Aberdeen City Council, will continue to work together to deal with such issues and that Grampian Police specifically will closely monitor and target criminals who engage in such behaviour."

The court was told that Massie and Wood were Aberdeen season-ticket holders and that they were heading for the train station when the trouble erupted. Wright was said to have been drinking. which had affected his decision-making.

Jailing the men, District Judge David Thomas declared: "Bradford has suffered its share of violence in the past few years and, whilst this incident clearly was not on the scale of those matters which took place two years ago or so, nonetheless it was a serious incident of public disorder.

"The message must go out to people who choose to involve themselves in incidents of public disorder and vandalism of this sort - if they commit it, inevitably custody will follow."

Speaking after the court hearing, Chief Inspector David Lunn, the detective who led the investigation, said: "The disorder lasted just a short time, but only because police officers intervened quickly and courageously to bring the situation under control.

"Had they not done so, I firmly belive that the minor damage and injury caused would have been far greater. Let us not forget that people have died due to football related violence."