NINE men have been banned from attending football matches after admitting being part of large-scale violence which took place shortly before a game between Chester FC and York City. 

The brawl in the beer garden of the Judge's Lodgings hotel (pictured above) in Lendal, York, took place at about 1.30pm on Saturday, October 22, 2016, before the Minstermen played the Blues at Bootham Crescent later that afternoon. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.

Six of the men banned have addresses in Chester, Ellesmere Port or Flintshire, while three have addresses in the York area.

Eight men pleaded guilty to violent disorder at a plea and trial preparation hearing before York Crown Court. A ninth pleaded guilty to the same offence at an earlier hearing before York Magistrates Court.

The Honorary Recorder of York, Judge Paul Batty QC, adjourned their case while probation officers prepare pre-sentence reports on them.

He gave all nine bail, on conditions that ban them from going within a certain distance of football stadiums where either team is playing for a period of at least four hours before and after the match.

The nine who admitted being part of a group of three or more people who engaged in unlawful violence are: Darren Leslie Cummings, 44, of Lindsey Avenue, Acomb; James Michael Windass, 52, of Tennant Road, Acomb; David Michael Ellis, 34, of Pottery Lane, York; Kyle O'Gorman, 25, of Tennyson Walk, Chester; Tom Melia, 21, of Hope Farm Road, Great Sutton; Neil Hughes, 63, of Cable Court, High Street, Connah's Quay; Lewis Griffiths, 18, of Wellington Road, Broughton; Ben Wilcox, 19, of Crown Estate, Holywell; and Daniel Sharples, 22, of Aston Hill, Ewloe, who pleaded guilty before the magistrates court.

Jordan Stephen Willoughby, 24, of Broad Street, South Bank, York, denied the charge of violent disorder, and his case was adjourned for trial on May 29 at York Crown Court. He was also released on bail.