A BOURNEMOUTH football hooligan has been banned from matches for four years after he was stopped by police trying to leave the country for an England game.

Cherries fan Craig Hole was apprehended at Southampton Airport as he tried to board a plane to Paris ahead of England's game against France earlier this year.

Now the 21-year-old, who has a long history of public order offences, will not be allowed to enter any FA-registered ground or travel abroad for England internationals until 2012.

Police stopped Hole, of Greenway Avenue, under the Spectators Act on March 25 and confiscated his match ticket.

New Forest Magistrates Court heard how he had already been banned from attending matches for three years in 2004 after a series of public order offences in Bournemouth.

But he was in trouble again earlier this year and officers pounced at the airport after receiving a tip-off.

Hole has also been banned from pubs in Bournemouth before and after home ties.

Magistrate Angela Nightingale told Hole: "If you are to get off this track you are on you need to stop now, otherwise you will be back here and it will spiral out of control."

The court heard how Hole had hurled bottles, chairs and tables in pubs up and down the country over the last four years and had been involved in brawls at a number of games.

But he first appeared on the police radar in March 2004, when he was involved in a fight at a game between Bournemouth and Blackpool.

Despite being subjected to a banning order, he would still travel to other cities on away match days "with the intention of causing problems", the court was told.

In January 2006, he was again in trouble, this time after an incident in Swindon.

A year later police caught him chanting homophobic songs at Brighton fans.

He was also involved in incidents during games against Southampton, Gillingham, Brentford and Cheltenham.

PC Bill Russell said he had been aware of Hole's activity for four years and knew him to be a member of a group called Bournemouth Casual Element.

He told the court: "He is in my verdict a very active football hooligan.

"He has built up good links with other hooligan groups across the country and is very active in playing a lead role within the Bournemouth group.

"He is influential, particularly with the younger element.

"When he gets involved in violence the younger ones will follow his lead."