A Bristol City fan involved when trouble broke out in Cardiff city centre got caught because officers recognised his distinctive ginger hair.
Mackenzie Bailey was seen chucking a can of booze at a pub before the game and probably thought he’d got away with the public order offence.
However, the teenager “stood out” in the away section at the Cardiff City match and he was arrested at half-time, Cardiff Magistrates’ Court heard.
Prosecutor Mike Curry played footage of the scenes from Saturday, February 15, during which a mass of Bristol City fans gathered outside the O’Neill’s and Wetherspoon pubs.
They were shouting at the bemused customers sitting inside and at police officers on St Mary Street.
Bailey, 18, was captured on video throwing a can at the O’Neill’s signage above the entrance, alcohol spraying out on impact.
The fans were moved on by police and Bailey carried on to the Cardiff City Stadium but once there, the “tall, ginger lad” stood out a mile because of his distinctive appearance, Mr Curry told the court.
The teen, of Glenfall in Yate, admitted the public order offence, his solicitor Maxine Twynam saying: “Mackenzie is ashamed of the way he behaved that day. He has no excuses.
“He is a Bristol City fan who came to Cardiff to watch the game. There was a disturbance between the two sets of fans which was well documented in the press.”
WalesOnline reports that the disorder actually involved a group of Bristol City fans yelling at punters in pubs and that there was minimal involvement, if any at all, from Cardiff City supporters.
Ms Twynam continued: “Essentially he got swept up in the crowd and made a stupid decision to throw a can of alcohol at the public house. It hit the sign and exploded on impact.”
The solicitor added that Bailey’s family are “very disappointed at the way he behaved.”
She described him as a “family man” who is “very supportive” towards his sister’s children and works full-time rendering and plastering.
Bailey’s employer wrote to the court: “He has worked for me for three years and not once has he set a bad example. He has been a massive part of our success, having started as an apprentice, and now completes full jobs by himself.
“When Mackenzie told me about his court date I was shocked. He is one of our hardest workers, he is always on time and his work is always of a high standard.”
The court heard Bailey takes home pay of £1,300 a month.
Ms Twynam told the magistrates that Bailey’s mum “would be very grateful if you did make a football banning order today because this case has had a massive impact on her and the family”.
She conceded her client’s case was not helped by his caution for another football-related public order offence a year earlier.
“On that occasion, someone pushed him and he retaliated by pushing them back. There was a little scrap between him and someone else but no one was injured.”
Before retiring to consider the sentence, Presiding Justice Mark Hughes pointed first at the main courtroom exit and then at the door to the cells.
“We will decide if you are going through that door or that door,” he told Bailey, who nodded sombrely.
Ms Twynam said her client was packed for a potential jail term. She reached into the dock to hand him a duffel bag as the magistrates headed out to deliberate.
When Mr Hughes returned around ten minutes later he told Bailey: “The first thing I will say is you are going home today, not through that door, but that was an option for you.”
Showing no emotion, Bailey replied: “Thank you, cheers.”
Mr Hughes imposed a three-year order banning Bailey from regulated football matches. But he questioned why the paperwork for the order stated Bailey would not be allowed in an area of London around certain match times.
Ms Twynam replied: “It means if Bristol City ever get to Wembley, which is very unlikely, he wouldn’t get to go to that area.”
The prosecutor laughed at the comment concerning the likelihood of Bristol City getting to Wembley in the next three years.
The magistrates sentenced Bailey to a £500 fine as well as a £200 victim services surcharge and £85 in prosecution costs. Bailey will pay at a rate of £100 a month.
“We took into account the immaturity we’ve seen from you, and we hope that changes,” Mr Hughes told him.
The teen replied: “Yeah, definitely.”
Mr Hughes continued: “Three years is a long time not to go to a football match and that is what you deserve. And if Bristol City do get to Wembley, you won’t be going. England games, you will also not be going.”
He added that Bailey must surrender his passport to police when Bristol City and England have matches outside the UK.