A Pompey fan described how he was struck on the head by a two inch stone after his side’s fifth round FA clash with Saints in February.

Retired grocer/salesman Keith Strevett, 77, said that before the match at the St Mary’s Stadium, most fans were in good spirits with banter and chanting in good taste.

But the atmosphere changed during the game and became more hostile. He felt “quite uncomfortable” and many home fans were putting their fingers across their throats in a cutting action. “I was very surprised by the hatred.”

In his statement read to Southampton Crown Court, Mr Strevett said he was jubilant after the match, which ended in a 4-1 Pompey victory, and was walking along Britannia Road surrounded by fellow Portsmouth fans when he was hit on the head by the stone.

He said: “Many fans were shouting at the police to do something. I felt giddy and would have fallen if I did not have an officer to grab onto.”

Mr Strevett said that just before being struck, he saw two men about 25 yards away throwing items. A doctor attended him shortly afterwards and he was later treated in hospital for a V shaped two centimetre cut.

Another Ports-mouth fan, Paula Marsh, said in a statement she saw a car bumper, bottles, coins, rocks and a white plastic chair coming at her, her mother and two friends when they tried to leave the ground.

“I also recall a Stella can hitting a police officer on a horse, a wheel trim also flew over. I was nervous and scared and frustrated I couldn’t go anywhere.”

After they reached her car, a Southampton fan ran forward and launched himself at it, kicking in a front passenger door panel so hard she feared the window would break. When she asked how would he like it if she did that to him, the man pointed to a van and said, “There’s mine, do what you want with it.”

Michael Wilson, 28, of New Road, Netley Abbey; Timothy Osman, 40, of Cunard Avenue, Shirley, Southampton; Trevor Collins, 46, of Meggeson Avenue, Townhill Park, Southampton; Ross Phillips, 28, of Swift Road, Southampton, and Martyn Bishop, 43, of Wheatlands, Fareham, deny violent disorder.

Proceeding