A man sustained serious head injuries in an Angus street brawl between rival fight fans, The Courier can reveal.
The disturbance took place around 9pm on Saturday. Crowd tensions boiled over during a kickboxing match held at Club One in Forfar, with one supporter entering the ring to attack a competitor.
Nearly 140 people spilled out on to North Street, after the fire alarm at the club was set off by disgruntled fans who had travelled from Fife.
A 24-year-old man sustained head injuries as a street fight erupted. He was taken to hospital, while another man was treated at the scene for a large cut above the eye.
Club One owner George Bertie said a section of the visiting support had become aggressive midway through the evening and had to be ejected from the premises.
“It was towards the end of the show, a few of the Fife spectators started to cause trouble,” he said. “One of them set the fire alarm off and we had to evacuate the building.
“I think it was the Fife guys that wanted to get everybody out so they could start something.
“We have organised quite a few shows like this but it is very rare that we get any trouble from the supporters.
“In any sport there is always going to be an element that are looking for trouble and unfortunately it ruins the night for everybody else.”
The show featured fighters from Results Fitness Gym in Forfar and a team called Urban Disturbance from Fife. Members of both teams were shocked as a fan slipped between the ropes and attacked one of the boxers.
The incident proved a catalyst for further disorder that would continue on the club’s doorstep.
It is understood that between 10 and 20 people were involved in the brawl, with others stepping in to try to stop the fighting.
Paramedics arrived and took the man who sustained the head injury to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, where he was kept in for observation.
Police officers herded the visiting fans away from the street and escorted their minibus out of the town.
Five men received a fixed penalty notice following the disturbance.