Football ban for Gillingham fan who pushed Blackburn's Tayo Edun at Priestfield Stadium

A football fan who assaulted a player during a match has been banned from attending his team’s games for three years.

Gillingham supporter Ross Mitchell, 39, shoved Tayo Edun in the back after the player scored a goal for Lincoln City and celebrated by running into the home stand at Gillingham’s Priestfield Stadium.

The attack came after some Gillingham supporters booed the away team when they took the knee at the start of the match, Mr Edun’s then teammate Cohen Bramall said.

It left 23-year-old Mr Edun, who has since moved to Championship side Blackburn Rovers, wary of interacting with fans, which “kills the game” for him, he said.

Mitchell appeared in the dock at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court today, dressed in a white shirt, black jacket, dark trousers and tie, and admitted one count of assault by beating.

More than 4,000 spectators were at the game when Mr Edun scored within the first four minutes on August 7, the court heard.

Footage from the match was played to the court showing him sprinting with Mr Bramall past the line between the pitch and the stand.

Prosecutor Terry Knox said: “Whilst Mr Edun and Mr Bramall are just beyond that threshold, whilst they are facing away from the defendant, the defendant pushes Mr Edun twice to the back. During the incident Mr Edun’s forehead clips Mr Bramall.”

Mr Knox said the crowd became “increasingly vocal and hostile” after the referee was forced to pause the game as a result of the altercation.

The match ended in a 1-1 draw and was the first home game for Gillingham after large-scale sporting events resumed following Covid restrictions.

Mr Edun said in a written statement: “I spoke to the opposition and colleagues about what had happened. I then had to continue playing after