A “large-scale disturbance” outside a pub ahead of a Dunfermline versus Rangers match resulted in rival fans appearing side by side in court.
Three Rangers supporters and two Dunfermline fans were in the dock after a fight outside Monty’s in Guildhall Street.
The altercation came when Pars fans tried to enter the bar, which was described as being “full of Rangers fans” who then spilled out on to the street where punches were thrown.
A serving soldier was among those in the dock at Dunfermline Sheriff Court and sentences included fines, community payback orders and football banning orders.
Lewis McGee, 21, of Mathieson Place, Dunfermline, David Mitchell, 44, Inchkeith Court, Dunfermline, Stephen Payne, 21, Admiralty Road, Rosyth, and Craig Telford, 33, Gordon Street, Lochgelly, admitted that on December 30 2013, along with others unknown, they conducted themselves in a disorderly manner, shouted, swore, acted in an aggressive manner and committed a breach of the peace.
Jamie Paterson, 21, of Carden Castle Park, Cardenden, admitted conducting himself in a disorderly manner, and that he shouted, swore and committed a breach of the peace.
Depute fiscal Sam Johnston said the incident occurred at 6.30pm ahead of the 7.45pm kick-off and all those in the dock had tickets for the match. Police officers who specialised in football-related crime were deployed and became aware of a large number of Dunfermline fans walking along Abbot Street.
“At that point shouting was heard from Rangers fans within Monty’s public house,” added the depute fiscal. After briefly going to a nearby pub, the Dunfermline fans re-emerged and headed straight for Monty’s and attempted to enter.
They were told they were not allowed in and a number of people exited the pub, punches were thrown, there was shouting, swearing and additional police officers were called “to quell a large-scale disturbance” said Mr Johnston.
Solicitor Jenny Smith, representing McGee, a Rangers fan, said he was in the army, currently working in a recruitment role based in Inverness.
Gordon Martin, representing Pars fan David Mitchell, said his client was on the periphery of the incident and made it to the match, where he was detained by police at half-time. He said his client had one other football-related offence.
Solicitor Caroline McCallum, representing Rangers fan Paterson, said her client was drinking in the pub.
She said he accepted he acted “very stupidly” but was “half-jostled” out of the door where he was almost immediately detained by police.
Sheriff Charles Macnair said he would distinguish between those who had previously been involved in football-related offences and those who had not.
He imposed fines of £360 on McGee and Telford and £270 on Paterson. Mitchell was made the subject of a community payback order with 135 hours of unpaid work and also had a football banning order imposed for 22 months.
Payne was made the subject of a community payback order with 115 hours of unpaid work and a football banning order for 18 months.