Football fans banned after pitch invasion at Bristol Rovers match

Football banning orders spanning more than 30 years have been handed to eight supporters after disorder at a Bristol Rovers match.

Fans temporarily halted play after invading the pitch during Bristol Rovers’ League Two promotion clash against West Country rivals Forest Green Rovers last season.

Supporters from both sides ran onto the field and aggressively confronted each other in scenes described by police as “unacceptable”.

Following an investigation by Avon and Somerset Police, eight individuals - six of whom were sat in the Bristol Rovers end and two sat among Forest Green fans - were identified and sentenced.

Offences includes pitch encroachment, possessing a flare and public order matters.

A final hearing was held at Bristol Magistrates’ Court earlier this week (November 24).

Each of the eight defendants received a football banning order, ranging from three to 10 years in length.

The bans prohibit them from attending club and international matches for the duration of the order, but may also include exclusion zones around the stadium before and after home fixtures - plus a day-long ban on travel to towns and cities where away matches are being played.

The eight defendants - which were made up of seven men and one woman - were also told to pay a combined total of £3,250 in fines and costs, and surrender their passports to prevent them from attending the ongoing men’s World Cup in Qatar.

One man was jailed for 10 weeks while a further three people were dealt with by police out of court - either by conditional caution or through signing an acceptable behaviour contract.

Avon and Somerset Police’s PC Tom Williams said: “The behaviour at the full-time whistle from a small minority of fans was unacceptable and we are grateful to both Bristol Rovers and Forest Green Rovers for their help in identifying those people responsible.

“The football banning orders send a clear message that disorder at matches cannot, and will not, be tolerated.

“These eight people now find themselves banned from going to football matches for several years as a consequence of their behaviour.”

The match, which took place in April, ended 0-0 - which was enough to secure Forest Green's promotion to League One.