Tottenham Hotspur fans banned from football matches for abusing ex player Sol Campbell

Four Spurs fans were yesterday banned from football matches for three years for hurling vicious abuse at their team's former star Sol Campbell.

They were among 11 fans charged in connection with homophobic and racist abuse. Campbell, 34, was targeted when Tottenham Hot spur played in Portsmouth last September.

The chants arose from Campbell leaving Spurs for Arsenal in 2001. He joined Portsmouth two years ago.

Richard Gibbs, 36, of Wokingham, Berks, Stuart Turner, 34, of Telford, Shrops, Oliver Silvester, 28, of Southampton, and Keith Stevens, 54, of Hailsham, East Sussex, pleaded guilty at Portsmouth magistrates to indecent chanting.

They were fined £370, told to pay £120 costs and £15 to a victim fund. Magistrate Susan Waddle said: "You acted like animals."

Seven fans who pleaded not guilty face trial in May.