AN old soldier has been banned from all English football grounds after he shouted racist abuse at a match.

William Vose, 69, was arrested at the May 11 game at the Stadium of Light where Sunderland played against Arsenal.

Undercover police officers saw him shouting at black players from the East Stand.

District Judge Roger Elsey was told that the two plain-clothes officers were taking part in a pre-planned surveillance, called Operation Coast, aimed at rooting out racism.

Det Sgt Paul Milner and Det Sgt Henry Gustard both told a hearing at Sunderland Magistrates' Court that they heard him shout a blatantly racist remark at one of the players.

Season ticket holders Dave Elliott and his wife Joanne attended the match with their eight-year-old son David.

Mrs Elliott said about halfway through the second half she also heard Vose shout: "Don't pass it to that dirty nig-nog," which she believed was aimed at Nyron Nosworthy.

She said her son had later asked what the term meant and she had told him he must not say it. She told the court she had stopped taking her son to football matches.

Vose, of Westmoor Road, Pallion, denied using racially aggravated threatening behaviour, and told the court he had been a Sunderland supporter since he was nine-years-old.

He said he had served with the Durham Light Infantry when he was in the forces and had worked with coloured people and had no problems.

He said he used the term "nig-nog" to mean somebody who was not doing their job well, not as a racist remark.

Vose's solicitor, Jason Smith, said he would not contest a banning order.

He did not mean his comments to be racist and apologised if that was the way they came across.

Vose, who was of previous good character, was fined £175 with £150 towards the costs and a £15 victim surcharge at court on Monday.

He was banned from football matches throughout England and Wales, as well as England matches abroad, for three years.