Nine Manchester United and Liverpool football fans jailed after mass brawl erupts inside Old Trafford

NINE football fans have been jailed after a fight at Old Trafford described as the "worst disorder inside a football stadium in Manchester for 18 years".

The violence between Manchester United and Liverpool supporters involved otherwise "intelligent hard-working" men with respectable jobs.

The incident, which was captured on film by police and members of the public, took place during a Europa League match on March 17 which Liverpool won 3-1 on aggregate.

It was sparked by away fans who had booked seats in a stand reserved for United supporters and started chanting "provocatively" in the 85th minute.

But then they went a step further - by unfurling a Liverpool banner.

This sparked what a judge described as an act of "tribalism" from United fans, who hurled abuse and then used their fists.

But punches were thrown over their shoulders.

The escalating melee, which took place on the front edge of the Upper East tier with a 50ft drop below, was witnessed by families and children.

Police and stewards formed a human cordon to divide the five Liverpool fans from the rest of the stand.

Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court heard it was Liverpool fans Patrick Cowhig, Carl Irvine, Joe McDonald, Ian Mullin and Sonny Parr who sparked the brawl.

The worst of the violence then came from United supporters Anthony Garner, Jonathan Silverwood, Daniel Ginocchio and Christopher Bullock, who handed themselves in after a police appeal.

The court heard that, having secured last-minute seats in the Upper East tier reserved for home fans, the Liverpool group sat quietly for the first 85 minutes.

They then rose from their seats, chanting "provocatively" and "revelling" in the attention of Liverpool fans in the stand below, before unfurling the banner and appealing for fellow fans below to take their pictures.

Faced with their team’s defeat and their jeering rivals, some United supporters surged forward.

Stewards suffered bruising in the violence that ensued.

Defending the Liverpool fans, one barrister said their part in the violence had been "in defence" and one was left "crying in fear".

But prosecuting, Michael Brady said: “This was not just an innocent celebration.

"Individually and collectively they caused a number of Manchester United fans to react in a variety of ways including, inevitably, the use of violence.”

Sentencing the two sets of rival fans in separate hearings on Tuesday, Judge Mark Savil noted that all were "intelligent, hard-working" men with good character references, respectable jobs and were largely a credit to society.

But he added that was often the case for those with the means to watch live football matches, adding: “The problem is that in this type of offence often there are two sides to the sort of people who behave in this way.”

“In that stand were not just hooligans but members of the public seeking to enjoy a football match, with families and children.”

After the hearing, Det Sgt Stephen Warrener, who was at the stadium on the night, said: “This is the worst disorder GMP has seen inside a football stadium in 18 years.