A man from Newcastle-under-Lyme has been fined £600 and banned from attending any regulated football match, including internationals, due to his behaviour at a Port Vale fixture.

Philip O'Brian, 50, is banned from attending football matches for the next three years following remarks he made during the team's League One clash with Sheffield Wednesday on 1 October 2022.

A member of the public contacted the Port Vale discrimination report line to say that a man sat in a season ticket holder's seat had racially abused a player.

At the North Staffordshire Justice Centre on Tuesday 24 October, evidence found by our football policing unit of O'Brian's unacceptable behaviour was presented to the court.

O'Brian has been banned following remarks made during Vale's clash with Sheffield Wednesday in October 2022 (Wiki Commons).

O'Brian was found guilty of racially aggravated harassment/alarm/distress by words, which he had previously denied. He was also ordered to pay £750 court costs and a £240 victim surcharge.

The order prevents O'Brian from attending all football fixtures with a geographical exclusion zone also in place. This stops him from associating with other Port Vale supporters on match days.

He will also have to surrender his passport when England play away fixtures and is banned from attending any of the national team's home fixtures.

Port Vale's safety officer, Wayne Jones, said: "We welcome the decision that has been made and would like to reiterate our message that football is for everyone and abuse of any kind is not accepted at Vale Park.

"If any supporter experiences or hears any abuse in the stands we would request they send as much information as possible to our information line. The number can be found around the stadium, on our scoreboard and in the matchday programme.

"Alternatively, supporters can speak to any matchday steward who will report the abuse on their behalf."

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