A GROUP of Millwall fans have been warned they could face jail for fighting with Charlton Athletic supporters in Woolwich town centre.

Rival fans clashed following the Lions' 2-0 win at The Valley on March 16 this year.

Trouble flared outside the Great Harry pub in Wellington Street at 5.45pm and Woolwich Arsenal DLR Station around 30 minutes later.

Four arrests were made, including one Addicks fan.

Tommy Whitlock, 22, of Hook Lane, Welling, Joe Bloomfield, 21, of Bournbrook Road, Kidbrooke, and Dave Moody, 40, of Godstow Road, Abbey Wood, all pleaded to guilty to affray when they appeared at Woolwich Crown Court yesterday (October 10).

Judge Christopher Kinch QC warned the trio, who were all arrested outside the Great Harry pub, their crimes are "likely to pass the custody threshold."

He said: "A district judge is going to see the CCTV and decide what the appropriate sentence is.
"From what I've seen it's an extended piece of public disorder."

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Millwall fan Joe Bloomfield 

All three were granted unconditional bail to return to the same court to be sentenced on November 5.

Charlton fan Kevan Griffin, 48, of Downham Way, Bromley, who was arrested outside the DLR station, appeared alongside the Millwall fans in the dock.

He pleaded not guilty to affray and will return to court on October 25.

The case comes a day after figures released by the Home Office suggest football hooliganism is back on the rise.

A total of 2,456 matchday arrests were made in the 2012/13 season, up four per cent. However, they’re still down on 3,391 from 2009/10.

The number of Millwall fans arrested last season was 67 – the eighth highest in the country and up 16 from 2009/10 with 65 banning orders in place during that time.