Streaker invades pitch during match between Swindon and GrimsbyMORE than 20 fans are now banned from the County Ground for football violence offences.

According to a Home Office probe into football violence, seven new bans were given to Robins fans last season.

This is in addition to 15 court orders that were already in force at the club.

All fans hit with a ban are outlawed from the County Ground for three years and cannot attend international games.

Football intelligence officer PC James Neighbour says Town's figures for last season are what he would expect.

He said: "Last season was a different one for Swindon.

"The team did fairly well and that brought the crowds back and attracted people who hadn't been for some years.

"We had a few incidents towards the end of the season. It all depends on the clubs Swindon plays.

"In the league they are playing this season, a lot of the teams are 150 to 200 miles away, which lessens the chance of problems occurring.

"It's when there are lots of local derbies and Swindon play Oxford or Bristol that there could be more problems.

"We have a good relationship with the club. The majority of the time it's OK but every now and then when there's a crucial match tensions run high and there can be a bit of trouble.

"Football-related violence is something the Government is really hot on."

Banning orders can be imposed by the courts if a person is convicted for a football-related offence or if magistrates believe an individual has been involved in violence or disorder at a match.

The Home Office report, published yesterday, also showed 38 Town fans were arrested last season, including 19 at away games.

Offences included violent disorder, throwing missiles, racist chanting, pitch invasions and breach of banning orders.

Home Office minister Caroline Flint said the figures proved police were taking tough action on unruly fans.

But she also admitted a hardcore of football fans were still creating problems.

She said: "The statistics reflect a lingering, if small, domestic disorder problem and we are not complacent."

No one was available for comment at the County Ground yesterday.

Other fans banned from Swindon

ONE of those fans faced with a ban last season was 16-year-old Liam Kerrigan who stripped off and paraded across the County Ground pitch as part of a St Patrick's Day stunt.

The St Joseph's School pupil and self-confessed thrill-seeker left his clothes with friends in the Nationwide Stand and, wearing nothing apart from a pair of lucky emerald green pants, ran the length of the pitch.

The stunt was one of 10 things Liam said he'd always wanted to do but it landed him with a life ban.

RICKY Stebbing, 29, will feature in next year's statistics after he leapt from the stands to save Sammy Parkin during a scuffle with Bradford's Darren Holloway earlier in October.

The Swindon scaffolder's run onto the pitch earned him a ban from UK football for three years as well as a fine of £100.

He was banned from the County Ground for life and admitted having drunk too much at a wedding he'd attended earlier that day.

Emma-Kate Lidbury