A FOOTBALL fan who tried to travel to Newcastle United's match in Marseilles has been banned from going to games for more than two years.

Mark Ginelly, 30, of Tosson Terrace, Heaton, Newcastle, received a banning order for 27 months at an emergency hearing of Newcastle Magistrates' Court.

Northumbria Police officers were monitoring flights at Newcastle Airport on Wednesday morning.

Ginelly, who works as a joiner, was seen by an officer about to board a flight to Marseilles.

Ginelly has previous convictions for football-related disorder. A Northumbria Police football liaison officer had also seen him involved in a brawl with Dutch fans at Eindhoven train station before the Newcastle United match on April 8.

He appeared before Newcastle magistrates and received the banning order, which will include Euro 2004 in Portugal and the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

He was banned from domestic games in England and Wales, games in Europe involving domestic teams and any game involving England.

He was also banned from Newcastle city centre, and within five miles of any venue at which Newcastle or England are playing, for four hours before and after matches.

Detective Sergeant Paul Evans said: "This action demonstrates Northumbria Police's ongoing commitment to preventing disorder at football matches involving local teams at home and in Europe.

"Ginelly is a known football hooligan. Because he is also prevented from attending England matches, it shows our commitment to a nationally co-ordinated effort to prevent people intent on causing disorder from following the national team."