Bradford City ban three fans for incidents against Reading

Bradford City have banned three supporters over incidents during their FA Cup quarter-final ties with Reading, with more still being investigated.

The League One side has issued two five-year banning orders, with one more fan banned until the summer after three separate incidents in the home game.

A fan arrested and charged by Thames Valley Police over alleged racist abuse aimed at Reading's Garath McCleary during the replay will be banned for life if found to be guilty.

And another five-year ban could be handed out to a supporter who announced on social media that he was planning on taking pyrotechnics into the Madejski Stadium, and was then found to have done so in a targeted search.

Those banned for five years were found guilty of drinking alcohol in sight of the pitch, before abusing and threatening a steward, and running on to the pitch at Valley Parade, while the shorter ban was for spraying tomato ketchup over a steward.

A club statement read: "The football club has been delighted with the fantastic support from the vast majority of its fans during the recent FA Cup run.

"The support, in both its number and its vocal backing for the team, has been one of the highlights of the club’s outstanding run.  However, there are one or two individuals who have abused the success of the team and behaved in a way that is unacceptable to the club and its supporters and damaged the image of Bradford City FC.

"So following recent isolated, but serious, incidents at the Reading games, three people have been informed that they are to be banned from the club and two more will be banned, subject to further information from Thames Valley Police.

"The club hopes that by issuing these bans, it will remove a small number of fans who are, quite simply, not wanted here at the club.  In addition, it hopes to send out a message that as the club becomes more successful, this small band of people who are responsible for unacceptable behaviour that tarnishes the good name the club is developing will not be tolerated.

"There are also a couple of incidents at the home game versus Reading and three further arrests at the replay that the club is still investigating and further bans may be announced when those investigations gave been completed."