(more…)

(more…)

(more…)

(more…)

LAWS barring English football casuals from Scots grounds are in chaos after three yobs used a legal loophole to beat a charge.

Prosecutors ditched a case against Colin Hamblett, 48, his son Damien, 24, and David Ainsworth, 49, after their lawyer said football banning orders imposed on them in England did not apply in Scotland.

It means Scotland is the only country where Colin Hamblett can attend top-level games.

His ban applies in England and Wales and he has had his passport seized to stop him causing trouble abroad.

Experts believe banning orders handed to Rangers hooligans after the 2008 UEFA Cup final riot in Manchester could also be worthless in the wake of the Hamblett case.

The Hambletts and Ainsworth were arrested in July after travelling to Scotland to watch their team, Bolton Wanderers, play Falkirk in a pre-season friendly.

English cops had tipped off Central Scotland Police that the men planned to travel.

All three were given three-year banning orders in January 2009 after they were fined for being drunk and disorderly at Bolton’s Boxing Day game against Liverpool at Anfield.

Ainsworth was also arrested for hurling racial abuse.

The Central Scotland cops accused the men of breaching their banning orders.

They were due to stand trial at Falkirk Sheriff Court last week but the case was dropped at the last minute.

Defence lawyer Gordon Addison said yesterday: “We argued there were difficulties in enforcement of an order of an English judge in a Scottish court and this was accepted by the Crown.”

Football law expert GeoffPearson, of the University of Liverpool , warned that the case could have serious implications.

He said : “In future, every banning order will have to be examined in detail to ensure they can be applied equally in Scotland, England and Wales.

“It could involve a change in the law.

“In the meantime, the Home Office will have to write to all the courts in England to make sure they are aware that banning orders must be made separately for Scotland.”
(more…)

Referee hit by 11-year-old boy during Forfar v Peterhead shame game

A REFEREE was slapped on the head by an 11-year-old schoolboy during an SFL clash on Saturday.

Forfar Athletic fans were furious after whistler Steven Nicholls red-carded brothers Iain and Ross Campbell, the sons of boss Dick Campbell.

As Nicholls walked off at half-time in the Division 2 match against Peterhead, a boy among a baying mob of Forfar fans whacked him on the back of the head.

Yesterday, Scottish Football Association chiefs confirmed an investigation would be carried out after the referee included the incident in his match report.

Nicholls enraged supporters at Forfar’s Station Park when he booked Iain Campbell, 25, for foul play.

A fracas ensued and Iain and his younger brother Ross, 22, were both red-carded.

Forfar officials ordered all supporters to stand back from the touchline for the remainder of the game.

They also appealed to fans, who quickly identified the supporter responsible.

Nicholls, from Motherwell, didn’t involve the police as the age of the boy meant he was highly unlikely to receive any significant punishment.

Forfar secretary David McGregor said the club had contacted Nicholls and were waiting for the SFA to handle the case.

He said they had not contacted police and had no intention of banning the boy. McGregor added: “In light of everything that is happening in Scottish football, I wouldn’t view this as a major incident.
(more…)

Real Madrid: