A BURNLEY fan's racist chanting could have been the "flame which lit the touchpaper" of violence, a court heard.

Magistrates were told Kenneth Morrow's monkey chants towards mixed-race Millwall player Paul Ifill were an isolated incident but could have led to worse.

Morrow, 27, of Brennand Street, Burnley, appeared before the bench yesterday and was given a three-year football banning order after he admitted making racially-aggravated chants at the Claret's clash with the London side last month.

Morrow was arrested after he was asked by stewards to leave Turf Moor on November 27.

Carl Gaffney, prosecuting, said: "The spectre of racism at our football grounds had all but disappeared but, unfortunately, over the last four or five weeks it has risen to levels of international attention, with an incident at an match between England and Spain and locally at Blackburn involving Dwight Yorke."

Mr Gaffney said Morrow was arrested after fellow spectators reported his chanting to stewards. Undercover police officers watched Morrow before he was detained and ordered to leave. He added: "This was an isolated incident but one which could have been the flame which lit the touchpaper."

David Lawson, defending, said Morrow, a dad of one, was deeply ashamed of his behaviour.

Morrow's ban followed an unconnected incident during Blackburn's match against Birmingham City when ex-Rovers striker Dwight Yorke was abused.

Jason Perryman, 22, from Chorley, admitted a similar offence and was fined £1,000 and banned from games for five years. He apologised to Yorke.

Racism at football grounds returned to the spotlight after black players Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Jermaine Jenas and Jermaine Defoe were racially abused in England's friendly with Spain in Madrid.

Morrow's ban prevents him from entering the town centre or the streets around Turf Moor for three hours before and after matches, using trains when Burnley or England are playing and not entering cities where Burnley or England are to play. He was also fined £150 and ordered to pay £40 costs.

A second man, Michael Grundy, 27, of Lyndsay Street, Burnley denied the same charge and will face trial next year.