Ex-Newcastle Utd player Andy Ferrell banned from matches for fighting

Ex-Newcastle United footballer is banned from every stadium in the UK for fighting with Chelsea fans outside St James’ Park

  • Anthony Ferrell, 39, played with Newcastle United’s youth academy until 2004
  • He is among four men banned from matched after fighting near St James’ Park 

A former Newcastle United player has been banned from attending matches across the country for a three year period after fighting outside St James’ Park.

Andrew Ferrell, 39, rose through the ranks of Newcastle United’s youth academy alongside Michael Chopra, who later played for England.

Although Ferrell never made it to the first team, he played for a string of teams in the lower leagues and eventually managed the Bedlington Terriers, Chronicle Live reports.

Now, he is one of four men banned from every stadium in the country after taking part in an act of hooliganism on November 12 last year.

Ferrell was among the group who fought with Chelsea supporters outside the Black and White Bull pub near the Newcastle’s stadium.

Andrew Ferrell, 39, who rose through the ranks of Newcastle United’s youth academy alongside Michael Chopra, has been banned from matched after fighting Chelsea fans

The three other men are Thomas Jennison, 21, of North Shields; Ryan Walton, 32, of Blakelaw; and Liam Webster, 39, of Kenton

The quartet are also banned from being within a designated radius of St James’ Park on matchdays. They are additionally banned from being within a mile of any away ground in England and Wales involving a Newcastle or England match.

In 2015, Ferrel spoke to the Newcastle Evening Chronicle about how he had turned his life around after succumbing to drug-dealing and gambling following the end of his playing career.

He said: ‘It just seemed like a bit of fun at the time. But then as I got more money I wouldn’t think twice about putting £1,000 on a horse, a dog or a roulette table. The more money I had the more I would gamble.

‘You think the football will go on forever. When you are 16 or 17 that’s all you know. You are young, you’ve got enough money to do what you want, and you have got too much time on your hands.’

Ferrell (centre) playing for Hereford against Halifax Town in 2006

Detective Inspector Gillian Beecroft of Northumbria Police praised the orders being passed against the four men.

She said: “The overwhelming majority of football fans in the North East are a credit to the clubs they support as well as the region as a whole. However, before this particular game, the behaviour of a small minority of supporters was totally unacceptable.

“This type of violent incident will simply not be tolerated. We hope that the banning orders handed down act as a warning to anyone thinking of taking part in disorder. You will be identified and brought before the courts to face the consequences of your actions.”

Northumbria Police is still investigating other unidentified hooligans involved in the disorder.

Anyone with information about the fight before the Newcastle vs Chelsea game can contact police via the ‘Tell Us Something’ on the Northumbria Police website, or by calling 101.

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