Eight Cardiff City football hooligans have been jailed for taking part in violent scenes which erupted after a crucial play-off defeat.

Stones, bricks, wood, bottles, street furniture and a car windscreen were thrown outside Ninian Park after the Bluebirds' 2-0 defeat to Stoke in on May 1.

With the home side's hope of promotion shattered by an extra-time goal, a group of at least 600 fans tried to reach visiting supporters and later attacked police officers and horses.

Hooliganism figures from Home Office

Arrests at Cardiff games: 129 Cardiff fans' banning orders: 125 Arrests at Swansea games: 7 Arrests at Wrexham games: 11

Ten defendants, who had all earlier pleaded guilty to violent disorder, were banned on Friday from attending football matches.

Eight were jailed while the remaining two were handed community punishment orders.

Cardiff City were looking for promotion to Division One and had won the first play-off leg 2-1 at Stoke.

With the second-leg aggregate score level after 90 minutes, the sides played extra time, when Stoke won the tie with a 115th-minute free kick to beat Cardiff 3-2.

It sent the visiting fans into ecstasy while the expectant Bluebirds support was distraught.

Police attacked

Cardiff Crown Court heard 600 to 1,000 Cardiff fans tried to reach the section of Stoke supporters.

Prosecuting, Christopher Williams explained how the men - one of whom was already banned from attending games - were part of the resulting melee around Sloper Road and Leckwith Road.

"Countless missiles were thrown. It must have been terrifying for anyone who saw it. The police officers were certainly very frightened.

"Many of the horses were punched and kicked and dozens of officers were injured.

"One was knocked out when a brick was thrown at him and smashed his helmet."

The officer missed work for a week and still suffers continual headaches, he claimed.

Hooligans 'unacceptable'

Judge Christopher Llewellyn-Jones viewed video tapes of the events, including a police van being violently rocked.

He said custodial sentences were necessary to show hooliganism was unacceptable.

"People must know that if they are going to leave a football ground and indulge in this sort of behaviour they are going to go to prison...

"...in the hope that it might bring home the message that the public will not tolerate this kind of behaviour.

"Members of the public as well as police officers were frightened, if not terrified, by your behaviour.

"Regrettably, actions of your sort bring the footballing public and supporters into disrepute."

Three of the gang were sentenced to jail for 18 months:-

Anthony Lewis, 39, of Griffiths Street, Maerdy

Ryan Gill, 26, of Tyntyla Park, Tonypandy

Christopher Jenkins, 42, of Pengwern Road, Ely, Cardiff

Others were sent to a young offenders' institution:-

Christoper Carnell, 19, of Garth Road, Trealaw (18 months)

Nicholas Carter, 19, of St Mary's Street, Bargoed (eight months)

Matthew Lewis, 19, of Avondale Court, Porth (12 months)

Two 17-year-olds were given eight month detention and training orders. Two others received community punishment orders:-

Alex Pauline, 18, of Glyncolli Road, Treorchy (120 hours)

A 16-year-old who was not named (80 hours)

The eight men who were jailed were banned for six years from going within 2,000 metres of any regulated football match five hours before kick off and five hours after the final whistle.

They must also surrender their passports in connection with any match outside England or Wales.

The pair who were sentenced to community service were given three-year bans.

It follows the controversy over scenes at Ninian Park after Cardiff City knocked Leeds United out of the FA Cup in January.