The Eagles fan who was famously kung-fu kicked by Eric Cantona has been sentenced for assaulting someone at a children’s football match.

Matthew Simmons, 36, of Kynaston Avenue in Thornton Heath, attacked Stuart Cooper in August last year after harbouring a grudge against him for more than five years.

Kingston Crown Court heard the pair had been at a children's football match when Simmons spotted salesman Mr Cooper, whom he blamed for his son's exclusion from a team he had once coached.

Today, Simmons was given a six-month prison sentence, which has been suspended for two years and told he must do 150 hours of community service.

He was also ordered to pay £1,000 in compensation at £50 a week and told he must contribute £2,000 towards court costs.

Mr Simmons and Mr Cooper clashed at a football match in August 2010 in front of dozens of horrified children and their parents.

Mr Simmons told the court he reacted after Mr Cooper called him “Nazi scum”.

However the jury returned a guilty verdict on an assault occasioning actual bodily harm charge.

Mr Cooper told the court during the trial: "I felt somebody spit at me, and call me 'scum'.

"The next thing I knew was just punches flying at me from everywhere, from the side and from behind."

Former Manchester United player Cantona kung fu kicked the Crystal Palace fan at a match between the two sides in 1995.

The French footballer was banned for nine months, Simmons had his season ticket to Selhurst Park revoked and was banned for life from the ground.