A DISABLED football fan had his artificial legs kicked from under him when violence flared after a football match.

David Clark, 25, captain of Soccability, Middlesbrough’s disabled football team, was proudly singing a Boro supporters’ song when a man approached him and told him to stop.

The incident happened in Middlesbrough town centre hours after the weekend’s derby game against Newcastle United at the Riverside Stadium.

Mr Clark, a customer relations executive from Hemlington in the town, was heading home after a night out with friend Daniel Rowntree, 26.

He said: “We were singing ‘Middlesbrough is wonderful’ and then I started singing ‘Ali Ali Aliadiere’.

But the next thing a guy was walking towards us. He told me to stop singing.

“I said ‘what’s the problem?’”

The thug then shoved Mr Clark, at which point Mr Rowntree said: “Hang on, he’s got artificial legs.”

Mr Clark, who has had his disability since birth, said: “The man looked at me, then he kicked my legs from underneath me.”

The attacker then kicked Mr Clark twice in the face and once to his arm, before Mr Rowntree pulled him away.

The thug then walked off shouting: “Tell your mate he will never walk again.”

Mr Clark said: “I would say cowardly would be an understatement. I think the whole thing is pathetic. A football rivalry should end when the final whistle is blown.

“I don’t think he would have done anything more if he didn’t know about my legs.”

The attacker struck at about 1am outside The Mall, off Linthorpe Road.

Mr Clark, who has scored 185 goals for Middlesbrough Soccability, said the police were checking CCTV footage in an attempt to identify the culprit.

He said: “I’m proud of my town. If I’m out on the street I will continue to sing Boro songs.”

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said: “I can confirm that Mr Clark did make a complaint of assault and that we are investigating.”

The attacker was in his 30s, 6ft, thin faced, with dark hair and a brown jacket or coat.

Anyone with information about the attack is asked to call Cleveland Police on 01642-326326.