Online Fundraiser Raises Almost £4,000 to Support Jailed Liverpool Fans After Stadium Brawl

Almost £4,000 has been raised for the five Liverpool fans jailed for causing a brawl to break out at Old Trafford during the Europa League tie between the Reds and Manchester United in March 2016.

The game itself ended 1-1, with the Merseyside outfit proceeding through to the Europa League quarter finals with a 3-1 aggregate victory as a result - but a few Liverpool fans took their celebrations a bit too far.

Quietly sat with the United supporters for the game, the 85th minute saw five Liverpool fans - Patrick Cowhig, Carl Irvine, Joe McDonald, Ian Mullin and Sonny Parr - begin to chant 'provocatively' as they released a banner in an attempt to anger the home fans.

This sparked a brawl. Despite stewards having to create a blockade around the Liverpool fans, United supporters still managed to jump between the guarding, striking the Liverpudlians.

Clive Brunskill/GettyImages

But according to the Liverpool Echo, a fundraising page online created to financially help the families of the men that have now been jailed, has raised £4,000. 

“Need no introduction to who this is in aid of. All money raised will go to the families and lads to help where it can,” reads the website.

Each defendant received a prison sentence as well as at least a six year ban from football matches - the worst off being Cowhig, 27, who  got ‘swept up in the moment’ and accepted his behaviour was ‘disgraceful and unacceptable’. He received a 12 week sentence and an eight year ban.

Four United fans were also jailed for retaliating.