Court out - it's the football fooligans

But today we can reveal them as mindless clowns, who claimed to police they didn't know Darlaston was in Walsall - even though one of them is a postman.

Royal Mail worker Simon Evans and unemployed waiter Paul Gregory threatened the Express & Star photographer taking their pictures. Gregory even hid behind a woolly balaclava, but then removed it too soon, allowing our photographer to grab his picture.

Moments later, they ganged up and tried to get him to delete the images. But, thanks to modern technology, today we can expose them as the moronic hooligans they are. And two of them are now facing jail because of their previous violent behaviour.

Evans and Gregory appeared at Walsall Magistrates Court yesterday, with Mark Hodgetts and Ben Richardson. Each had been given an order banning them from games following their roles in trouble surrounding Wolves matches last year.

But despite this, the four were spotted in Darlaston last Tuesday when Wolves played a pre-season friendly against Walsall at Banks's Stadium. Evans, aged 26, and Gregory, aged 28, were spotted by surveillance officers at the Green Dragon pub, in Church Street, while Hodgetts, aged 28, and Richardson, aged 21, were seen in Asda car park, in St Lawrence Way. But after being hauled into custody by police, they claimed it was simply a geographical mix-up.

Mr Nick Baker, prosecuting, told the magistrates: "During the police interview they said they did not think Darlaston was in Walsall." Mr Paul Hiatt, defending, said Evans, of Wentworth Road, Bushbury, Wolverhampton; Gregory, of Wesley Road, Billbrook, Wolverhampton' and Hodgetts, of Hellier Road, Bushbury,Wolverhampton, had met up in Darlaston for a drink.

"They had no intention of going to Walsall to attend the the match," he said. "There was some confusion between them over whether Darlaston was actually in Walsall."

Evans and Gregory both admitted failing to comply with the orders while Mark Hodgetts and Ben Richardson pleaded guilty to breaching football banning orders.

Sentencing for Evans, Gregory and Hodgetts, a bin man, was adjourned until next month and the three were bailed.

Chairman of the bench Shirley Newby told Gregory and Hodgetts custody could not be ruled out. Richardson, of Thornholme Close, Leicester, was fined £65 and ordered to pay £60 costs and £15 surcharge.

A fifth man Ricky O'Rourke, aged 19, of Meryhurst Road, Wednesbury, denied failing to comply with an order made last year. His case was also adjourned.