THREE football hooligans have been jailed for targetting fans from a rival club.

The Saints fans brawled outside a Southampton pub after a day of drinking.

Lewis Dean Austin, Thomas Kelly and Connor Pengelly swore and hurled abuse at Tottenham Hotspur fans, a court heard.

The three were jailed for affray at Southampton Crown Court last Thursday all having previously pleaded guilty.

CCTV footage played to the court showed the men outside the Scholars Arms in Above Bar Street after the Saints v Tottenham match on January 25 this year.

A scuffle broke out and they could be seen running at Spurs fans, attempting to kick and punch them.

A “missile was thrown” and amid the ruckus, door staff attempted to keep the rival factions apart.

At one point the trouble-makers were seen to leave, walk up the street and “return with reinforcements”.

Kelly is said to have beckoned others to the pub.

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The 29-year-old of Claremont Road was the main “instigator” and has a previous conviction for launching a missile at a football match in 2014 - for which he was banned.

Meanwhile, Austin, 24, of Heysham Road was “so drunk he couldn’t even remember watching the match”, which was a 1-1 draw in  the fourth round of the FA Cup.

He has a previous conviction for affray from 2017.

Prosecuting barrister Roderick Blain said how Austin encouraged Tottenham supporters to cross the road to a local park and continue fighting - but they did not take up the challenge.

Pengelly, the youngest of the trio at 21 years old and of Brunswick Place in Totton was previously a man of good character with no convictions.

Regardless, CCTV clips showed him lunging at the visiting fans repeatedly.

Mr Blain argued they intended to cause very serious violence, and there was clearly targetting involved.

He told how police reported there were large numbers of fans likely to cause trouble - Austin, Kelly and Pengelly included.

There “had been some confrontation in a local park” earlier in the day but officers had managed to intervene.

Defending, Chris Gaiger told how Austin, a floor layer, was shocked and ashamed of his behaviour.

He described him as a young man who needs to do some growing up.

Eve Shelley who defended Kelly and Pengelly said they were remorseful.

However, Judge Christopher Parker QC said that although no physical harm was caused the incident was plainly instigated.

He said how as a group they targeted individuals.

Judge Parker jailed Kelly for 12 months, Austin for ten months and Pengelly for eight months.

They were all given a six-year football match ban.