Gillingham fan Adam Stanley was banned from games for being drunk and disorderly at an away match

by Alan McGuinness

A lifelong Gills fan says he has been stopped from watching the club he loves after a drinks prank at an away match went wrong.

Adam Stanley has been banned from Priestfield since he was accused of being drunk and disorderly before the League Two game at Barnet on September 8.

The 17-year-old catering student claims his cola was spiked by one of his friends as a joke and he remembers very little of what happened before waking up in hospital.

He had gone to the match with seven friends and they told Adam they found him on the floor of the toilets and called an ambulance.

Adam, of Poplicans Road, Cuxton, said: "It was a joke that got out of hand.

"I remember a little bit of the tube journey. I remember being on the stairs ofthe pub and a police officer was saying we couldn't go to the game. I said let my friends go."

"it was a joke that got out of hand..." – gills fan adam stanley

He denies he did anything wrong and claims he wasn't arrested.

Adam, who lives with his parents Mari and Derek, said he has been stopped from seeing the club he loves and his weekends are boring without his trips to Priestfield.

He said: "I've been going to Gillingham every week for three years and they stopped me from doing that. It's caused me unnecessary stress."

His mum said: "I've been a lifelong fan and I've never known the club to treat anyone like this. We've never had any trouble with Adam at football."

Adam is due to appear on the Sky Sports show Soccer AM with his friends tomorrow and was expected to meet with the club before then in an attempt to resolve the issue.

Every week, a group of fans help provide atmosphere on the show and also take part in a penalty kick challenge.

Adam is a former club mascot who went to his first game at the age of five. He had been to every game this season up to the Barnet fixture.

Adam Stanley has been banned from Priestfield, in Gillingham

The club said Adam discharged himself from hospital before he could be interviewed by police and was subsequently spoken to by an officer from Kent Police.

The first time Adam contacted Gillingham was on October 18, more than a month after the game, the club claim.

A spokesman said: "That same day our club Safety Officer made enquiries with the local Football Liaison Officer and was advised that although he had not been arrested, he had been detained in hospital but had discharged himself prior to the police seeing him.

"The case papers for this offence are currently with the Metropolitan Police awaiting a decision on prosecution."

Kent Police said it was for the Metropolitan Police to comment because they are investigating the incident.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the force could not comment at this stage.