Overview
- John Phipps, 45, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated harassment and on March 25 received a three-year Football Banning Order at Swindon Magistrates Court with a £400 fine and £245 costs.
- The abuse happened in October 2024 during Swindon Town’s match against Doncaster Rovers at the County Ground on a day the club backed the EFL’s Together Against Racism campaign.
- The order bars him from a mapped zone around Swindon Town games from three hours before kick-off until two hours after full-time and blocks travel within five miles of stadiums where Swindon Town or England play in the same time window.
- Wiltshire Police report 20 active banning orders for residents of Swindon and Wiltshire, a tally that excludes supporters who live outside the county such as Phipps.
- Police say officers attend most Swindon Town matches to spot offenders for prosecution and bans, while the club pledges swift action against racist behavior in line with the EFL campaign.