FOUR soccer fans from East Lancashire have been banned from matches for two years after being detained on their way to watch England's World Cup win in Germany.

John Houston, 26, of Wellfield, Clayton-le-Moors, did not resist a police application in Manchester for him not to attend games in England and abroad after hearing the evidence against him.

Duncan Bradshaw, 33, Paul Rawson, 32, and Lee Tattersall, 31, of Burnley, contested a police application in Manchester claiming they had never caused trouble while watching England play abroad. But they failed to impress Deputy District Judge Andrew Meachem, who told them: "I'm of the opinion a banning order would help to prevent violence and disorder.

"And I don't find exceptional reasons for not imposing a minimum ban." The police application for a banning orders was heard under the Football (Disorder) Act 2000.

All four were detained at Manchester Airport last August as they were preparing to fly to Germany for England's World Cup qualifier in Munich.

Deputy District Judge Meacham was told that Houston had convictions under the Public Order Act, affray, and damage -- but none was linked to football.

But Paul Bassano, for the police, said police intelligence revealed Houston on occasions had travelled to Blackburn away fixtures and not entered the grounds. The court heard he had also been seen in the company of other fans convicted of disorder and violence.

"He has also been spotted in the vicinity of scenes of soccer violence but there is no direct evidence that he was involved," said Mr Bassano.

The judge, imposing a minimum two-year ban, said it was to Houston's credit he had not opposed the police application.

He heard how Bradshaw, of Brunshaw Avenue; Rawson, of Sycamore Avenue; and Tattersall, of Bluebell Grove, all Burnley, had previous convictions in this country for soccer related matters and Burnley FC had already slapped a life ban on Bradshaw.

Philip Turner, defending, argued the police were using the men's domestic records to prevent them attending international games.

None of them had been arrested abroad and Mr Turner contended they were not a danger.

Ordering the Burnley men to each pay £200 costs the judge warned them they faced going to prison if they breached the ban.