Six football hooligans who were embroiled in a violent pre-meditated clash between 100 rival West Bromwich Albion and Wolves fans have been banned from football matches for four years.

Michael Cartwright, David Parkes, John Ritchie, Shawn Roche, Harry Wall and Josh Hynd all pleaded guilty to using threatening words or behaviour following a confrontation in Wednesbury town centre, where rockets, bricks and glasses were thrown.

Judge Martin Walsh made football banning orders against all six men, stopping them from attending any matches or going to licensed premises in Wolverhampton, West Bromwich and Wednesbury on match days.

“This was an extremely serious incident of public disorder and there was an element of pre-planning on the day in question,” he said.

“It was beyond coincidence that two large groups of West Brom and Wolves supporters were both there by chance.”

The trouble flared after Birmingham’s home match against Wolves was called off due to bad weather on January 3 last year. On the same day Albion played Peterborough United at the Hawthorns. The confrontation was sparked as Wolves fans passed home through West Bromwich.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard dozens of Albion fans poured out of The Bellwether pub as five Wolves fans were being spoken to by police. Judge Walsh said the men were there to “entice” Albion fans out of the pub.

Bottles and bricks were thrown and the trouble escalated when a group of 60 Wolves fans approached the pub.

Rockets were then fired from the West Bromwich Albion group and drivers were forced to stop in the road to avoid the missiles.

Father-of-one Cartwright, aged 41, a tree surgeon of Bealeys Avenue, Wednesfield, was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison suspended for two years, ordered to complete 200 hours unpaid work, pay £500 costs and given an 18 week curfew.

Truck driver Parkes, aged 44, of Griffiths Drive, Ashmore Park, Wolverhampton, was given 18 weeks in jail suspended for two years and ordered to complete 200 hours unpaid work and pay £500 costs. Ritchie, aged 29,of Carisbrooke Road, Friar Park, Wednesbury, was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison suspended for two years, given an 18 week curfew, 200 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £250 costs.

Builder Roche, aged 21, of Jervoise Street, Carters Green, West Bromwich, was given a 16 week curfew, 160 hours unpaid work, a 16 week prison sentence suspended for two years and ordered to pay £250 costs.

Student Hynd, aged 18, of Willenhall Street, Darlaston, was jailed for 16 weeks, suspended for two years, given a 16 week curfew and 160 hours unpaid work.
Wall, aged 17, of Barland Close, Darlaston, who is also a student, was given a two-year community punishment and rehabilitation order, 16 week curfew and 160 hours unpaid work.

Speaking after the sentence, Pc Andrew Francis said: “It sends a clear message that we will aggressively pursue football hooligans.”