A trio of football fans have admitted brawling with St Johnstone supporters in a pub before a Scottish Cup clash.
Shocking video footage showed bottles being thrown into the West End Bar in Airdrie, Lanarkshire.
The town’s sheriff court heard a group of Airdrie fans confronted St Johnstone supporters and a fight spilled on to the street.
Cameron Patey, 22, Ryan Lawrence, 29, and Nathan Dunsmore, 26, admitted causing a breach of the peace by fighting, shouting and swearing on January 20 last year.
It happened before their team, Airdrie, beat Saints 1-0 in a fourth round tie.
The trouble was linked to a tongue-in-cheek message posted by a St Johnstone fan who tweeted: “Any Airdrie supporters wanting a square go should come to the West End Bar. Bring your mates – you’ll need them.”
Annette Ward, prosecuting, said home fans were seen on CCTV leaving another pub and heading for the West End Bar around 1.15pm.
“They had their hoods up and their faces partially covered with scarves. The three accused were part of the group.
“A large group of St Johnstone fans were already inside the West End Bar.
“As soon as the Airdrie supporters arrived there was an altercation that turned into a scuffle.
“This quickly spilled onto the street and in the course of that an individual was assaulted by two unidentified males.”
The court heard a fourth Airdrie fan was seen on CCTV picking up two bottles and throwing them into the pub.
He was also charged but has since died.
Ms Ward said police secured the CCTV and after a public appeal for information the accused were traced.
Patey has a previous conviction which resulted in him being given a football banning order.
Bail conditions for the current case have prevented him and and Lawrence from attending matches.
Dunsmore has been held in custody since his arrest.
Sheriff Joseph Hughes deferred sentence on all three until next month for background reports and electronic tagging assessments.
The sheriff slammed Dunsmore for his demeanour while the CCTV was shown in court.
He said: “I witnessed what was, perhaps, an unfortunate response from him.
“It looked like it was a bit of fun. It concerns me.”
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