"Pathetic" football fans who clashed in a brawl bringing a town centre to a standstill have been fined.

Dover and Southend supporters faced-off in London Road, Dover, following Athletic’s 1-0 FA Cup first round win in November 2019.

One lashed a rival with his belt as another accidentally kicked a police officer.

A third supporter unleashed a racist chant as some 20 officers worked to break up the violence.

They were due to stand trial for violent disorder at Canterbury Crown Court on Monday, however prosecutors offered no evidence on the charge.

Sentencing, Judge Simon James said: “They will have to suffer a financial penalty for their stupidity that day. Frankly, as grown men you should be ashamed of your pathetic, childish behaviour, you should know better. This match was one which was identified as a possible flashpoint (for violence) - yours and other people’s behaviour was in fact recorded by video.

“So-called supporters of two lower teams were using this fixture for confrontation and violence.”

The violence flared up after Southend United FC supporters left the Crabble Stadium in Lewisham Road and walked past Dover’s Workmans Club.

Video footage played in court showed Athletic supporters filing out of the London Road venue before dozens of men squared off for about 10 minutes. They could be seen standing in two opposing rows, gesturing aggressively and chanting insults.

As a melee unfolded Southend supporters Jack O’Brien, 28, lashed a rival with his belt as Michael Paul tried kicking another, prosecutor Oliver Doherty said. But the 30-year-old made contact with a police officer who was trying to help stymie the brawl.

And as officers managed to prise the supporters away as their aggressive chanting continued, Dover Athletic supporter Mark Culley was filmed shouting a racist insult.

O’Brien, of Norman House, Rocheway, Rochford, admitted violent disorder and affray and got an eight-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, 160 hours unpaid work and must pay costs of £800 within 28 days and a victim surcharge £149.

Refuse collector Paul, of South Crescent in Southend, pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer at a previous hearing.

Mitigating, his barrister Kevin Toomey, said: “He’s fit, he’s well, he can do unpaid work.”

Culley, of Glebelands, Alkham, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated public disorder in October 2020.

Paul Hogben, mitigating, argued the self-employed groundsworker stresses he is “not a racist” and “works with different ethnicities.”

“He was punched by someone, the police asked him whether he wished to take matters further, he said he did not.

“He accepts using the word while throwing an insult, it was just, as he puts it, a slip of the tongue through anger.

“He tells me he is not a racist he works with people from many ethnicities and has done so for years.”

Paul was fined £1,000 and handed a 12-month community order to complete 120 hours of unpaid work.

Culley was also fined £1,000 and ordered to complete 60 hours of unpaid work.

However Judge James ordered both men to be reimbursed a portion of their legal costs having hired barristers to defend the violent disorder charges, which were scrapped today.