Doncaster Rovers fan handed lifetime ban dressed up as Osama Bin Laden for game

The supporter, who has come forward to identify themselves, is also being investigated by South Yorkshire Police over a message referring to the 1985 tragedy at the club’s Valley Parade stadium when 56 supporters died when a blaze tore through a stand during a game, trapping and killing fans in their seats.

An unrepentant “Macca” Kennedy, who has been banned from all home and away games and “all club activities” for life, said dressing in a burqa – the full length gown worn by some Muslim women was “irrelevant” to his ban and also compared his costumes to comedy actors David Walliams and Matt Lucas in airport sitcom Come Fly With Me.

A picture of Kennedy, dressed in a full length black gown with a full face veil while he drank lager on a train, was widely shared on social media – with widespread condemnation from supporters across the country at the time it was shared several years ago.

He said: “The burka part of it is totally irrelevant to this, it’s misinformation.

“The burqa has got nothing to do with this incident - totally irrelevant."

A photo of him wearing a Doncaster Rovers shirt, a mask of September 11 terror attack mastermind Osama Bin Laden while clutching a can of Red Bull and a bottle of Jagermeister was shared on Facebook on 26 September 2021 with the caption. “does the want a jager bomb,” it has also emerged.

The photo, taken on a train, was shared the day after Rovers went down to a 2-1 defeat at Plymouth Argyle.

Asked about the photo, he replied: “Jager bomber? Not illegal to do that ya know.”

And asked about his choice of costumes, he compared himself to the characters played in the 2010 mockumentary sitcom starring Walliams and Lucas which saw some characters “blacking up” using the controversial “blackface” make up technique.

He said: “You ever watched Come Fly With Me? Don't see you trying to interrogate David Wallisms (sic) or Matt Lucas.

Kennedy, who contacted the Free Press asking for the story about his banning order to be taken down, added: “From now on I'm not replying to this chat. I have informed my solicitor of you harassing me for information. So until further more I'm not responding to yourselves posting irrelevant information.”

In another post made in 2016, he shared a photo of Bradford’s Valley Parade stadium with the caption: “Bradistan away.”

South Yorkshire Police have confirmed they are probing a message about the Bradford fire shared online.

A spokesperson said: “We are working with Doncaster Rovers Football Club following reports of malicious communications on social media.

“The matter is still under investigation and we are not able to comment further at this point.”

A club spokesperson said: “Doncaster Rovers Football Club can confirm a lifetime club ban has been issued to an individual responsible for a hateful social media post.

“Since the post was made at the weekend, the club has received multiple reports from members of the public that are understandably distressed regarding the content.

“We were able to identify the individual responsible for the post and immediately instigated the lifetime ban from all club activities.

"We are also working closely with South Yorkshire Police regarding the post.

“Doncaster Rovers vehemently condemn the behaviour of the individual responsible and reiterate our zero tolerance stance towards online hate speech.”

Rovers are due to meet Bradford at Valley Parade in a League Two clash on October 26.