Piebury Corner attack: Arsenal fan rushed to hospital after Napoli hooligans storm pie shop before Champions League tie
Tim Garwood was left bruised and bleeding in scenes of
violence pal Richard Morey described as "like something out of the early
80s"
Bleeding and bruised, Arsenal fan Tim Garwood is pictured moments before being taken to hospital after Napoli hooligans hit him over the head with a stool at a London pie and mash shop.
Up to 100 Italian thugs tore through Piebury Corner restaurant on Holloway Road near Arsenal's stadium in scenes Tim's pal Richard Morey described as being like something out of the early 80s.
Tim, 48, was set upon by the thugs around 45 minutes before the Champions League clash between Arsenal and Napoli and ended up in A&E with a deep gash on the top of his head.
Tim, of Romford, Essex, needed half a dozen stitches and had to undergo a brain scan following the attack.
Another man also needed hospital treatment.
Tim's pal and business partner Richard, 48, said: "We saw a group of about 90 or 100 Napoli fans come out of Liverpool Road onto the Holloway Road.
"They were singing but then one of them ran over and punched one of the guys outside the pie and mash shop.
"There was a bit of a tussle out the front and then one of the windows came through.
"One of the Italian guys hit Tim over the head with a cast iron stool and left him bleeding badly."
Richard, of Cuffley, Hertfordshire, added: "I have never seen anything like it - it was like going back to the early 80s.
"There were two kids in the shop that must have been 10 or 12 if that. It was unbelievable."
Richard and Tim are directors of Media 10, which puts on events such as Grand Designs Live and the Ideal Home Show.
Up to 100 Italian thugs tore through Piebury Corner restaurant on Holloway Road near Arsenal's stadium in scenes Tim's pal Richard Morey described as being like something out of the early 80s.
Tim, 48, was set upon by the thugs around 45 minutes before the Champions League clash between Arsenal and Napoli and ended up in A&E with a deep gash on the top of his head.
Tim, of Romford, Essex, needed half a dozen stitches and had to undergo a brain scan following the attack.
Another man also needed hospital treatment.
Tim's pal and business partner Richard, 48, said: "We saw a group of about 90 or 100 Napoli fans come out of Liverpool Road onto the Holloway Road.
"They were singing but then one of them ran over and punched one of the guys outside the pie and mash shop.
"There was a bit of a tussle out the front and then one of the windows came through.
"One of the Italian guys hit Tim over the head with a cast iron stool and left him bleeding badly."
Richard, of Cuffley, Hertfordshire, added: "I have never seen anything like it - it was like going back to the early 80s.
"There were two kids in the shop that must have been 10 or 12 if that. It was unbelievable."
Richard and Tim are directors of Media 10, which puts on events such as Grand Designs Live and the Ideal Home Show.
The restaurant's owner Paul Campbell said the attack was "completely unprovoked".
He
said: "We have had Napoli fans inside all day, they have been having a
good time and not bothering anybody at all. They have been no problem.
"Then we had a minority of them come in, being violent, picking up chairs and tables.
"There were three girls sat near me and these thugs just came in and grabbed the chairs from under the girls.
"It
was completely unprovoked, I think they just picked us at random
because they saw a busy restaurant and they wanted to fight someone -
anyone."
Mr Campbell said he had no reason to suspect any trouble from Napoli fans before kick-off.
He said: "We are popular with home fans and the travelling European fans too. This just came from nowhere."
The Metropolitan Police described the incident as "football-related".
A
spokesman added that a man had been arrested in the area for a public
order offence, unconnected to the damage at Piebury Corner.
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