A SPURS fan has been banned from matches for four years after kicking Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale.
Joseph Watts, 35, was held after tensions flared at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last month in the North London derby.
Ramsdale, 24, was booted in the back as he went to get his gloves and bottle from the side of the goal.
Watts, who admitted he was drunk, had clambered onto an advertising board to aim the kick at the England star.
Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court was told the thug was seen desperately scrambling through the throng of Spurs fans to escape.
Players from both sides then ran over to try and diffuse the situation.
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Watts admitted assault by beating, going on to an area adjacent to the playing area and throwing a missile on to a football playing area.
The yob, of Hackney, East London, threw four coins towards the pitch during the drama on January 15.
He was handed a 12-month community order and made to pay £100 in compensation to the footballer.
Watts was also slapped with a four-year football banning order meaning he cannot attend matches.
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In a victim impact statement, Ramsdale said he saw a masseuse because his back felt “heavy”, but there were no marks.
He added: “I’ve never had someone enter the pitch and kick me.
“I don’t think it’s acceptable that I should be assaulted at work.”
The keeper had made seven saves during the Gunners’ 2-0 win against their London rivals.
But the win was marred by the chaotic scenes, with the Arsenal no1 later revealing the incident left him with a “sour taste”.
Tottenham vowed to slap the shameless fan with an immediate ban once they were identified.
The club said at the time: “We are appalled by the behaviour of a supporter that attempted to attack Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale at the end of today’s match.
“Violence in any form has no place in football.”
Detective Constable Phil Dickinson, of the Met’s Football Investigations Team, said today: “Passions can run high during, and after, football matches, but there is simply no excuse for this type of behaviour.
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“Attacks on players will not be tolerated and I am glad, with the assistance of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, this man was swiftly identified, arrested and brought to justice.
“I am glad he will now be banned from attending any football matches for at least four years.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
