The fan was hospitalised after the fall (Picture: Getty Images)
The Leeds United fan who fell from a stand at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night is a convicted football hooligan who was jailed for storming onto a pitch and punching a player in 2012.
The fall occurred during the first half of Leeds’ FA clash with Chelsea as the away fans celebrated Mateo Joseph’s opener.
The supporter was treated by ambulance services at the scene before being taken to hospital where he is said to be still recovering.
However, his identity has now been revealed by The Daily Mail as Aaron Cawley, a 33-year-old who previously spent 16 weeks in jail for attacking former Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Chris Kirkland, capped once by England, in 2012.
Cawley was also given a six-year ban from attending football matches, which was eventually lifted in 2016 following an appeal.
Leeds have since confirmed that he remains barred from matches by the club, although he has been pictured at several away games since his official ban was lifted.
Aged 16, Cawley was given a three-year ban from football for violence which later resulted in a ten-week stay in a young offender’s institution after he repeatedly breached the order.
Five years later in 2012, he was served with another, lengthier ban and a prison sentence after he ran onto the pitch and assaulted Kirkland in a game televised on Sky Sports.
Cawley was jailed for four months and given a six-year ban from football after punching Chris Kirkland in 2012 (Picture: Sky Sports)
At the trial, the then-21-year-old admitted he could not initially remember the incident due to his heavily drunken state.
Prosecutor Paul Macaulay said Cawley told police he had consumed several cans of lager and three-quarters of a litre of vodka before boarding a train to Sheffield.
Once in Sheffield, he had a further seven to 10 pints of cider before attending the match where the attack occurred.
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Leeds could not confirm Cawley’s identity due to patient confidentiality but, in an earlier statement, said the incident would be investigated.
The Championship side ultimately lost the FA Cup fifth-round tie against Chelsea, with Conor Gallagher’s late winner securing a 3-2 victory for Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
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