A Darlington football fan has been given a banning order over trouble before England's match against Serbia in the Euros.

Gary McIvor, 38, of Eden Crescent in Darlington, was among four fans from the North East, subject to banning orders after disorder in Gelsenkirchen before the Euro 2024 opener against Serbia.

Gelsenkirchen police said after England’s 1-0 win on June 16 that there had been a total of eight arrests connected to the match, with one British national and seven Serbian nationals taken into custody.

But UKFPU said today (Friday, June 28) it had since been working with German authorities to identify and take action against fans who were involved in disorder.(Image: Newsquest)

UKFPU said: “Those issued with the orders will be unable to attend domestic matches and England internationals for the duration of their ban.

“A further four fans have attended court in the UK and been bailed with conditions to surrender their passports, and the UKFPU is continuing to investigate a number of other people who were believed to be involved in the disorder."

Darlington fan McIvor was given a five-year footballing ban. 

It's not the first time McIvor has been involved in football related disorder. In 2019, he was one of three people who pleaded guilty at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court to several offences relating to their behaviour following Darlington's away game to York City the previous August.

He was among fans singing abusive songs on a train on the way home from a match. 

Addressing the defendants, the judge in the case said: "There were two elderly couples and a young family on the train. Do you really think it's fair for them to listen to you like animals?"

McIvor was fined £80  and ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £30 victim surcharge

The other fans involved in the disorder in Gelsenkirchen were:

  • Lewis Dodsworth, 29, of Fulwell Road in Sunderland, who was given a five-year football banning order.
  • Kyran Alcock, 28, of Martindale Avenue in Sunderland, who was given a three-year football banning order.
  • Jack Hatton, 27, of Fordfield Road in Sunderland, who was given a five-year football banning order.

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Head of the UKFPU Mick Johnson stressed “that the vast majority of England fans in Germany are behaving extremely well, and those involved in any disorder are very much a tiny minority”.

He added: “This swift action from police forces and courts across the UK shows that there are consequences for supporters who are intent on causing disorder at matches, whether they are here in the UK or overseas.”

England progressed to the first knockout phase as group winners and will play Slovakia in the last 16 in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday.