Soccer yobs threaten landlord

THE ugly side of soccer reared its face on Saturday, threatening to ruin a glory day for Lewes Football Club.

Thugs threatened to beat up a local landlord and torch his pub.

Inside the Dripping Pan there were several pitch invasions from fans, purporting to support Tow Law Town, near Newcastle.

People were spat upon and abused, and the referee had to be escorted off the pitch by police.

The club closed its bar before the match started.

More than 20 police, including many from other divisions, had to be brought in to keep the peace.

The first signs of trouble came at about 11am when White Star licensee Marcus Warland was warned by telephone to be on his guard against football trouble-makers.

He was told that a group of men were on their way down by train as they had not been allowed on the Tow Law supporters' coach.

'Everything seemed OK when the group walked straight past my pub,' said Marcus, whose Station Street premises are the nearest to the railway station.

'But they came back about 15-strong around 2.15pm. They were foul-mouthed and obviously drunk and I told them I wasn't serving them.

'They then threatened to come back and do me, and my wife and children, and torch the pub. I had a seat slashed but they did leave the pub where, outside, they got on mobile phones to get in touch with others.