- Three Arsenal fans were arrested during the FA Cup third round in January
- The trio, all aged 18, pleaded guilty to a section five public order offence
- Gareth Southgate deserves more respect among the Man United left… who are these fools doubting him? Listen to the It all starts podcast
Three Arsenal supporters who are part of the Ashburton Army have each been handed three-year football bans for singing tragedies relating to the Hillsborough disaster during the club’s FA Cup third round defeat to Liverpool in January, it can be learned Mail Sport reveal.
Liverpool won the exciting match at the Emirates Stadium 2-0 after an own goal from Jakub Kiwior and a goal from Luis Diaz in the 95th minute.
Police made a number of arrests during the match. This has led to 18-year-old members of the Ashburton Army, Ellis Chandler, George Oxley and Joshua Ricca, receiving a banning order banning the trio from attending football matches.
They all pleaded guilty to a section five public order offense (singing a tragedy). The ban for Chandler and Oxley means they are not allowed within 1.5 miles of the Emirates.
The Ashburton Army, a renowned fan organization known for their vocal support of Arsenal in the Emirates, have previously been embroiled in controversy.
Three fans were arrested during the FA Cup match between Arsenal and Liverpool in January
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Mail Sport understands Arsenal will review the group’s ticket allocation.
A statement from the club said: ‘We strongly condemn this abhorrent behaviour. We worked closely with the police to ensure swift action was taken and we welcome the orders issued banning football.
‘We have a zero-tolerance policy towards singing tragedies and will always ensure that strong action is taken against those found guilty of such behaviour.’
In May, Arsenal contacted police over anti-Semitic messages in the group’s WhatsApp group.
The messages focused largely on the Holocaust, but also included conspiracy theories between Israel and Palestine and Tottenham’s reputation as a Jewish club.
The group – named after the place where the Emirates was built – has about 200 members. Prospective candidates must prove they are willing to go the extra mile for the north London club, by producing banners, writing songs, attending meetings and even helping out at food banks.
They have worked closely with the Gunners in recent years as manager Mikel Arteta has been keen to build a stronger relationship between the team and the fans.
The club has supported funding for two Ashburton Army banners and storage assistance between matches. Despite forging a closer bond with the club, the group remains its own, independent organization.
Chief Inspector Gerry Parker of the Football Police told Mail Sport: ‘We are clear, there is absolutely zero tolerance for singing tragedies and we will deal with anyone found to be doing so.
Arsenal are facing questions over their relationship with the controversial Ashburton Army
‘Many police officers who work at football matches are fans themselves, we get the passion of being a supporter, but it is very clear when this becomes a criminal offence.’
On Monday, two Manchester United fans were arrested for singing tragedies during Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool at Old Trafford.
Last June, Premier League teams met to agree new measures to tackle the rise in tragedy-related chants during matches.