LORNA MARSH A football fan pictured in yesterday's EDP leaning shirtless out of a room at the new Carrow Road hotel had just been kicked out of Saturday's match by police, it has been revealed.

LORNA MARSH

A football fan pictured in yesterday's EDP leaning shirtless out of a room at the new Carrow Road hotel had just been kicked out of Saturday's match by police, it has been revealed.

The man, a Southampton supporter, went to the room a fellow fan had booked to watch the rest of the game after being ejected for persistently standing up.

He and his friend have both now been banned from the Holiday Inn, which stands overlooking the pitch between the Jarrold Stand and Barclay End, after it was deemed his behaviour at the hotel was inappropriate.

It is understood that he was shouting out of the window at other Saints fans who were delighted at his reappearance after being thrown out of the ground.

While rules do not prohibit people from watching football matches from the hotel there are a series of stringent regulations to curb behaviour that could be deemed anti social by other residents and to prevent guests inviting fans into their rooms to see games for free.

Rumours that the fan who had booked the hotel room lost his season ticket over his friend's behaviour remained unfounded last night after Graham Hiley, spokesman for Southampton Football Club, confirmed no action has been taken over any fan following Saturday's game.

Joe Ferrari, spokesman for Norwich City Football Club, also said that no Canaries season tickets had been revoked as a result of the match.

Mr Ferrari added that the club was aware of the incident and would continue to work with the hotel management on match security.

“The advent of the hotel is new and obviously in that respect we have to work to ensure everything runs smoothly.”

Neil Sewell, manager of the Holiday Inn Carrow Road, said: “We will look seriously at anybody who contravenes the rules and regulations on match days. We would not encourage incidents like this. We have business guess and it is unfortunate when this sort of thing happens. The picture in the paper projects the wrong image.”

Mr Sewell said those involved had been “asked” not to return.

Rules laid down earlier this year by police state that no more than two adults are to be allowed in rooms overlooking the pitch on match days for a period of one hour before or one hour after a home match and no person subjected to a Football Banning Order should be admitted to or accommodated at the hotel on a day when Norwich City are scheduled to play a home game.

And no banners, signs or visible representations are to be displayed at or hung from windows facing the football pitch at any time.