Fleetwood Town chairman Andy Pilley's son is spared football ban

Lancashire Police had asked magistrates in Blackpool to take action against 22-year-old Jamie Pilley, son of the Cod Army chairman and owner.

The case against Mr Pilley jnr, of Wyre Road, Skippool, was outlined in official court documents at Blackpool Magistrates earlier this year.

The papers revealed a series of alleged incidents and said police had been watching Mr Pilley for the past six years.One of the allegations included allowing people ‘known to be risks’ into Highbury stadium.

PC Daniel Fish Lancashire Police’s football risk management officer said the application for the banning stemmed from an incident involving Pilley jnr in Amsterdam when he paid a 750

Euro fine for throwing a beer bottle towards police before the Holland v England match.

When interviewed by Dutch police over the incident Mr Pilley jnr said:” The bottle was thrown in anger .It was a stupid mistake.”

Chris Daw QC,defending, told magistrates:”In Holland my client found himself being charged by a cohort of riot police.In a moment of understandable anger he threw the bottle behind him.He says he made a mistake but does that make him a risk of being a football hooligan here?”

Andy Pilley, who has masterminded Town’s rise from non league football, said in court: “If Jamie gets a banning order it would affect his ability to work alongside me and it would damage his prospects career wise.

“When I read the so called police intelligence reports on him it was with disbelief and shock.”

“I have never had concerns about his behaviour no concerns have been reported to me. Jamie is very important to me at the club, he is my eyes and ears.

“I take my role as chairman very seriously especially the safety of fans on match days.”

He said it was his decision, not Jamie, to allow in some fans who had earlier been turned away by match stewards.

“I knew the people involved. It was my decision and it did not cause any trouble.I used my judgement.”