Three-year ban for hooligan tackled by Joe Hart
A football hooligan who stormed on to the pitch to confront Rio Ferdinand –- only to be stopped by Shropshire-born England goalkeeper Joe Hart – has been banned from attending football matches for three years.
Matthew Stott, 21, was told he came close to going to jail for his foul-mouthed pitch invasion, but instead his 56-day jail term was suspended for 12 months.
And former Shrewsbury Town goalkeeper Hart, 25, was praised by the judge for his actions in restraining Stott as he attempted to confront Manchester United defender Ferdinand. Joe stopped Stott as he attempted to reach Ferdinand, who was already bleeding from a cut caused by a coin thrown from the stands at the end of the Manchester derby on December 9.
Ferdinand had been celebrating Robin van Persie's late winner for United at City's Etihad Stadium when tempers boiled over.
TV footage of the incident was played at Manchester Magistrates Court showing Stott, who had sunk eight pints of lager before kick-off, trying to get at the United defender. Andy Holt, prosecuting, told the court after police caught him he repeatedly swore at the officers.
Stott, a landscape gardener of Southfields, Knutsford, pleaded guilty to encroaching on the field of play and using insulting words or behaviour.
He was also ordered to do 120 hours community service, must pay £145 in costs and observe an 8pm to 6am home curfew for three months. City are likely to ban him for life from their stadium.
District Judge Richardson commended England goalkeeper Joe for quickly stopping Stott getting at Ferdinand.
