Wolves 'superfan' named after entire team is jailed over Sporting Khalsa FA Cup violence
Five football hooligans have been jailed for whipping up the violence that marred an FA Cup 4th qualifying round match in the Black Country.
Among them was former Wolves ‘superfan’ Mark Hodgetts, whose parents gave him 17 middle names after members of the squad that won the Third Division title for the club in the year of his birth.
The 28-year-old – jailed for two years after getting involved in the 2011 Wolverhampton riots in and given at least three football banning orders following earlier disorder – was locked up for a year while the other defendants were each got an eight month prison sentence.
Hodgetts was ‘unsurprisingly’ at the front of the mob which brought chaos to the Aspray Arena in Noose Lane, Willenhall shortly before Sporting Khalsa and FC United of Manchester kicked off, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.
His Wolves-mad parents gave him 17 middle names in 1989 after a famous promotion-winning side, and he would only answer to the name Wolfie.
His full name is Mark Vince Gary Nicky Andy Floyd Ally Phil Keith Nigel Mick Steve Andy Robbie Tim Graham Barry Paul Hodgetts – after the 1988-89 team that won the Third Division title under boss Graham Turner to complete back-to-back promotions.
Others involved were also on a police list of Wolves hooligans at risk of either planned or spontaneous anti social behaviour at football matches, revealed Miss Caroline Harris, prosecuting.
Read More: Wolves fans who brought shame on FA Cup game are BANNED
Fists, bottles and a flare were thrown as 16 thugs attacked FC United of Manchester fans, sparking violence among a small section of the 2,000-plus crowd on October 24 2015, said the prosecutor who continued: “No police officers were deployed at the match and stewards did what they could to control the situation, but to no avail.”
The violence subsided after the initial rush as stewards struggled to separate the rival supporters but moments later the group containing the Wolves ‘risk’ hooligans made a second charge throwing more punches while hurling a bin into the air and a flare onto the pitch.
Police were transferred from the Wolves game at nearby Molineux to help keep the peace for the rest of the game during which nobody was badly hurt.
A video capturing the brawl was posted on YouTube and later used by investigators to identify some of the troublemakers.
Judge James Burbidge QC declared: “This should have been a joyous and happy day for those attending but several men appeared intent on engaging in disorder.
“Members of the Wolverhampton ‘risk’ group came to cause trouble and sought to goad and attack rival fans putting others, including families with children, in real fear of becoming involved in the violence on the day.”
Hodgetts from Green Park Avenue, Bilston, who had downed eight pints before the match, proudly dubbed himself the ‘Khalsa hooligan man’ after helping to create the mayhem, the court heard. Each of the other four defendants had previously been associated with ‘misconduct’ at football matches but three had no previous convictions.
Jerome Nicholls, 21, of Clarence Road, Bilston, and currently banned from attending regulated football matches for five years, was seen to spit and throw punches at rival fans.
Lee Dougliss, 22, from Brookeridge Close, Willenhall threw a punch and a plastic bin at rival fans and later confessed to police: ‘I lost my head.’ Adam Hickman, 27, of School Street, Willenhall also threw punches and pushed stewards during the fracas.
Steven Walters, aged 30, from Leacroft Avenue, Bushbury, aimed a bottle and blows at rival fans.
He and Hickman, had appeared in a BBC documentary called Football Fight Club that allegedly ‘glamorised’ soccer rowdyism.
All five defendants admitted affray, claimed to have ceased involvement in soccer hooliganism and were given six year football banning orders. Five other men arrested after the fracas, who each pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour at the match, received either a suspended jail sentence or community order.
These were Ashley Bennett, aged 26, from Aston Road, Willenhall; Max Bradley, 19, of Ashmore Park, Wednesfield; Joe Hodson, 23, from Julian Road, Eastfield; Charles Mason, 22, of Pinfold Lane, Cheslyn Hay and Thomas Webb, 24, from Deansfield Road, Eastfield. Bennett and Mason also got five year football banning orders.
