Carmarthen's new signing.
from bbc.com
Jailed hooligan signs up for club
Welsh Premier football club Carmarthen Town has defended its decision to sign a convicted football hooligan.
Craig Hughes, 26, is currently serving a 33 month sentence at Prescoed open prison near Usk for violent disorder.
He was also banned from attending matches for eight years after trouble before a Cardiff City v West Ham United match in September 2003.
But Carmarthen Town vice chair Alun Williams has said everyone deserves a second chance.
Mr Williams said he hopes the striker's problems are behind him.
The club had hoped that Hughes would be given a 12 hour release permit to be allowed to play in their UEFA Cup tie against Irish team Longford Town later this week, but the prison authorities have refused to grant a licence.
"Even if he is unable to play with us on Thursday night we hope that he will be able to play in the coming season," said Mr Williams.
"I'm sure he will strengthen the side".
"I believe everyone deserves a second chance.
"We have all made mistakes in our past.
"We are a family club and I am sure we will make him happy and he will settle down with us."
Hughes, from Ynyshir in the Rhondda, was jailed for violent disorder at Cardiff Crown court in April last year and banned from attending football matches for eight years.
He was arrested after fighting between rival fans following the match between Cardiff City and West Ham.
The court heard that Hughes punched a West Ham fan near a city centre pub.
'Totally unacceptable'
Seven other fans were also sentenced at the time.
Five years ago, Hughes - who has also played as a striker for Barry Town and Cwmbran Town - was given an 18 month sentence for a clash with Millwall fans.
He also successfully challenged a previous ban on attending matches so he could play for Port Talbot.
Welsh Premier League Chairman Alun Evans said that finding a way back into football would be good for Hughes.
"He is a talented boy," he said. "He had junior international honours for Wales and really should have made a good professional career for himself.
"I think rehabilitation is far more important than penalisation of a player, beyond the normal penalty of going to prison."
Prison Reform Trust director Juliet Lyon said: "Anything that is going to ensure that people do have a good job and important work to do and really do become more responsible has got to be supported I think".
But the chairman of the Football Supporters' Federation Dr Malcolm Clarke said if Hughes was allowed back into the game it should be made conditional.
"Maybe it should it should be part of the conditions that he turns himself into a good role model rather that a bad one, by giving out a message that his previous behaviour he now recognises is totally unacceptable".
