Robert Mason admitted making a racist comment to Pool striker Jason Euell during Stoke City's 4-3 Carling Cup victory on September 22.

The 47-year-old, who suffers from mental health problems, was seated close to the dugouts when he began shouting abuse at the Blackpool bench during the second half.

North Staffordshire Magistrates Court heard how Euell, among the substitutes on the night, turned around to see who was shouting and was hit with a racist insult.

Mason, of Bradwell Lane, Newcastle-under-Lyme, was escorted out of the ground and arrested.

Gary Corbett, defending, said: "Stoke had not been playing well and Mason lost his composure and began ranting. He told police he wanted to hurt Mr Euell in a personal way, because he thought he had been laughing at him.

"A lot of children sitting in the area heard what was shouted and Mason has since written to both clubs to apologise for his behaviour.

"He suffers from a schizo-affective disorder and takes daily medication. It means he is prone to outbursts, which can sometimes be uncontrollable."

Mr Corbett said his client deeply regretted what he had done and was very remorseful for his behaviour.

He added: "Mason has only been to two matches previous to this one.

"He chose the Blackpool match because the tickets were cheaper, but he is still a big football fan.

"This was an outburst which was not of prolonged nature and was not a deliberately planned act.

"He accepts a football banning order and it's something he is prepared to have imposed on him to prevent this sort of thing from happening again in the future."

Magistrates handed him a three-year order banning him from all football grounds in the United Kingdom and fined him £170.

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway called for the fan to be banned for life immediately after the incident.

Commenting on the news he had been banned for three years, Holloway told The Gazette: "It's disgraceful. There's absolutely no place for it in the game."