TWO men have been cleared of taking part violence which erupted after a Hartlepool United football match.

Dean Carroll and John Welsh were acquitted of charges of unlawful wounding and affray at the end of a five-day trial.

Both men claimed they got caught up in the trouble following Pools' home clash with Sheffield Wednesday on August 28.

Serving soldier Mr Welsh, of Stanmore Grove, Hartlepool, told police after his arrest that he was "just going along with it all".

Mr Carroll, of Banff Grove, said he innocently became embroiled when he went to help a friend involved in the fighting.

Visiting supporters Stanley Ryman and Kevin Taylor were badly hurt in the town centre trouble after Pools' 5-0 defeat.

Mr Ryman suffered a broken and cut nose while Mr Taylor, 50, suffered a fractured skull and was in a coma for a week.

Mr Carroll, 28, and Mr Welsh, 22, were alleged to have been involved in the assault on Mr Ryman which was caught on CCTV.

Six other men pleaded guilty to their parts in the trouble, and charges against another suspect were dropped.

Paul Bennett, 23, of St Oswald Street, Hartlepool, admitted affray, causing grievous bodily harm and unlawful wounding.

Stuart Hurst, 25, of Riverstone Close, and Ashley Harwood, 21, of Oxford Road, both Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to affray.

Paul Clark, 46, of Kendal Road, Hartlepool, admitted affray and assisting an offender - driving Bennett away from the scene.

Philip Bailey, 48, and Kieran Readman, 24, pleaded guilty to using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour.

Bailey, of Turnbull Street, and Readman, of Murray Street, both Hartlepool, had denied affray and their pleas were accepted.

No evidence was offered against Brian Myers, 28, of Dene Road, Blackhall, near Hartlepool, who had been charged with affray.