A teenager faces a lifetime ban from a football club, after he admitted hurling racist abuse at a Sunderland match last weekend.
The 15-year-old, from Wheatley Hill, County Durham, pleaded guilty to a charge of racial chanting at a football match when he appeared before Sunderland Youth Court yesterday.
It followed several arrests made by police at Sunderland's match against Coventry at the Stadium of Light, on Saturday. Up to 300 Black Cats fans in the stadium's south stand had been involved in the incident.
The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was banned from all UK football grounds for three years and given fines and costs totalling £145.
Sunderland AFC has said anyone successfully prosecuted for racial chanting will be refused tickets for any future matches at the Stadium of Light.
A 17-year-old boy, from Peterlee, also appeared yesterday, charged with the same offence. He pleaded not guilty and was remanded on conditional bail until December 18.
A further two men, aged 18 and 23, who were arrested at the match are still on police bail, pending further inquiries.
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