Rovers vs C*ty bans

A GROUP of mostly middle-aged Bristol City fans who lashed out at police before a City versus Rovers derby have been told by a judge: "You are old enough to know better."

The seven men, including the chairman of a youth football club in Henbury, were identified in ugly scenes as police tried to separate opposing fans before the 2013 clash at Ashton Gate in the first round of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.


A judge at Bristol Crown Court was shown video footage taken by police, as well as press photographs, which captured the parts the men played in the trouble.

The four men who pleaded guilty to affray were: Christopher Rogers, 34, of Stoke Gifford; James Phillips, 26, of Stoke Gifford; Anthony Higginson, 56, of Whitefield Avenue, Bristol; Stephen Maggs, 56, of Dovercourt Road, Bristol.

Two men who pleaded guilty to a public order offence were: Ian Brace, 46, of Selley Walk, Bishopsworth and Craig Drew, 41, of Quantock Road, Windmill Hill.


Ricky Marsh, 54, of Quarry Rock Garden, Bath, put in an early guilty plea to violent disorder.

Judge Graham Hume Jones told the men: "Incidents such as this damage the reputation of football, nationally, and the reputation of clubs.


"They cause distress and fear to the public, to families and children."

The judge, who previously sentenced 13 younger men convicted of violent disorder concerning the game, added: " Some of you are aged 40 to 56 and should know better than to behave like this."


He gave the men suspended jail terms as follows: Rogers, 23 months suspended for two years; Phillips, 21 months suspended for two years; Higginson, 16 months suspended for two years; Maggs, 19 months suspended for two years; Brace, 147 days suspended for two years; Drew, 147 days, suspended for two years; Marsh, 16 months suspended for two years.

A Football Banning Order of six years was handed to Maggs, who has previously been given a three-year ban for a football-related public order offence.


The other defendants each received a three-year banning order.

The banning order prohibits them from attending any regulated football match in the UK and stops them from going within 1,000 metres of Ashton Gate stadium on match days, starting four hours before and ending four hours after games.


It further prevents them from going within 1,000 metres of Bristol Rovers' ground when Bristol City play there.

Sam Jones, prosecuting, said events started at the Miner's Arms pub at the top of Winterstoke Road, where he said City fans congregated before the 7.45pm match kick-off.


Mr Jones told the court: "There was a very aggressive atmosphere both inside and around the public house, where in excess of 200 Bristol City supporters had gathered.

"There had been various spates of alcohol fuelled outbreaks of violence and aggression directed towards rival supporters, members of the public and police.


"The group had gradually grown as the build-up to the game had started from around 5pm.

"Supporters were consuming alcohol and the atmosphere was described by officers as tense."


The court heard some 500 Rovers fans gathered 500 meters away at the Cross Hands pub.

There was chanting, singing of songs anti to each other's clubs and swearing.


Mr Jones said police were deployed to keep the opposing fans apart and avoid violence on a large scale.

When a taxi drove by the Miner's Arms at 6.45pm, with Rovers fans inside, it was bombarded by glasses, glass bottles and bricks and had one of its windows smashed, the court was told.


Ricky Marsh was captured on CCTV throwing what appeared to be a glass towards the taxi, and he accepted that he had thrown a plastic glass.

Mounted police and police with dogs moved in and PC Wroe was struck in the face by a pint glass while PC Vallender had a pint glass smashed over his helmet and visor. Mr Jones said: "It was a very violent scene and an incredibly frightening scene for any member of the public passing by."


Three police lines were established to keep fans apart, the court heard.

When police formed a line across the entrance to South Liberty Lane, initially six officers on foot were "vastly outnumbered" by aggressive supporters trying to force their way past.


Rogers was seen to jump into the air and throw a red metal drink can straight towards mounted police PCs Grabowski and Williams.

He was also seen shouting and swearing at police and throwing punches at them, Mr Jones said.


Phillips was seen to charge at police at least twice, his face "contorted with anger".

Higginson was seen punching out at police and his demeanour and body language was described by one officer as "pure anger and aggression", the court heard.


Maggs was seen trying to push his way through the police line.

He was also seen with a can of cider in each hand, shouting: "I'm not going back, I'm going down there."


Brace was described as being "in a real rage", swearing, waving his arms around and shouting to police "Come on then!"

When pursued by police he ran and was found hiding in the Three Lions pub and admitted trying to run through the police line, the court heard.


Drew, who suffered a cut head in the melee, was seen swinging several punches at police. Marsh was seen throwing several punches at police, "flailing wildly", and police struck him with a baton.

James Haskell, defending Rogers, said his plasterer client made no excuses about his behaviour.


Nicholas Fridd, defending Phillips, said his client was branch supervisor at a Clifton-based builders' merchant and was chairman of a youth football club in Henbury, where he trained hundreds of young players.

Nicholas Arthur, defending Higginson, said the former lift engineer had low level depression since leaving work and going onto incapacity benefit.


Susan Cavender, defending Maggs, said her client was a skilled aircraft fitter who had acted entirely out of character and deeply regretted it.

Derek Perry, defending Brace, said Brace was a family man who was not a regular City fan.


Matthew Comer, defending Drew, said his client was an industrial window cleaner who moved away from his parents' address because of the shame he believed he had brought on his family.

Tristan Harwood, defending Marsh, said his client had married in Thailand and supported three youngsters.

www.bristolpost.co.uk/old-know-better-City-fans-gets-scolded-judge/story-26055191-detail/story.html#ixzz3SH5pMjyq

Just embarrassing for them they have Mr James Phillips who looks after young boys, Mr Anthony Higginson who's a benefit scrounger (The norm for all city fans), Mr Craig Drew aged 41 still living home with his parents (It's been said he was grounded for 4 weeks! for his actions), Mr Ian Brace wasn't even a fan! (He had to let off some steam because he had a hard day on the dole), And the best has been left till last Mr Ricky Marsh who married a lady boy from Thailand

On a serious note they should of been given a harsher punishment in my eyes, these are grown men who should know better and should be setting an example.

It doesn't look like the police will give up on this case until they find every scum bag that caused trouble that day, I hope they catch that fat bloke wearing yellow who ran on the pitch twice.