Football banning orders after pre-match trouble
12 United fans brought before the courts.
12 men involved in disorder before the Manchester United v Sheffield United FA Cup tie last season have been given football banning orders.
On Saturday 9 January 2016, the two clubs met in a third round match at Old Trafford in Manchester.
Before the match, police monitored a group of around 80 Sheffield United supporters who were inside a pub in the Northern Quarter.
The group left the pub and walked to the Ancoats area in order to find a group of Manchester United supporters.
When the Sheffield United group reached Bengal Street, Ancoats, a group of around 40 Manchester United supporters came out of a pub and made their way along Bengal Street and disorder broke out.
Video footage captured by police showed punches being exchanged, as well as supporters goading each other and enticing violence.
An unknown man threw two glass bottles towards officers from behind a parked van. Fortunately no one was injured.
Additional police officers arrived at the scene and kept the two groups apart, with some of the Manchester United group heading back into the pub and the others leaving the area.
Police contained the Sheffield United group before issuing Section 35 notices which required them to leave the area.
Following the incident, 15 Manchester United supporters were identified and summonsed to court.
Following a trial at Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court today, Monday 30 January 2017, Gareth Yates (19/06/1975), of Boothdale Drive, Audenshaw, Manchester, was given a three-year football banning order.
Eleven men appeared before Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 24 January 2017.
The following received five-year banning orders:
Gavin Pinder (39), of Lord Lane, Failsworth, Manchester.
Karl Anderson (31), of Woodward Street, Ancoats, Manchester.
Lee Berrie (27), of Heather Close, Burscough, Ormskirk.
The following received three-year banning orders:
Louis Bates (24), of Kearsley Road, Crumpsall, Manchester.
David Kerr (48), of Trevor Road, Burscough, Ormskirk.
Conor Gavin (25), of Sedgley Road, Crumpsall, Manchester.
Anthony Ewbank (33), of Old Road, Failsworth, Manchester.
Simon Wale (41), of Hesters Way Lane, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.
Jay Cornforth (21), of Ashton Old Road, Beswick, Manchester.
Gary Singleton (37), of Crown Street, Farington, Leyland.
Michael Hughes (25), of Bollington Road, Manchester.
Police Constable Alex Robinson, a GMP Football Banning Officer, said: “This was a violent incident which resulted in significant disorder and would have been extremely frightening for anyone who witnessed the events that unfolded.
“Thanks to police intelligence, officers were able to identify the potential for conflict and ensure the disorder was quickly brought to a close.
“The vast majority of supporters behaved impeccably before, during and after the match but, unfortunately, there can sometimes be a minority intent on causing trouble and seeking out confrontation.
“These 12 men fall into this category, but have now received significant banning orders which will stop them attending any match for a number of years.
"These orders should send a clear message to any supporter considering committing offences on a match day that they will be caught and dealt with robustly.”