A SEDGLEY football thug who took part in a vicious unprovoked gang attack that left a rival fan with a life changing brain injury will have to wait to learn how long he must spend behind bars.

Three other young hooligans who pounced on 44-year-old father-of-two Nic Cruwys after a Wolves game at Molineux have been put behind bars for a total of 98 months.

Judge Simon Ward said Mr Cruwys was so badly injured he had to spend nearly two weeks in an induced coma and the following three months in hospital.

The judge said: "He suffered extensive skull fractures and a traumatic brain injury. He was so badly injured that doctor's told his family they did not think he would survive."

Daniel Lloyd, aged 18, of Longfellow Road, has admitted wounding Mr Cruwys but he could not be sentenced with his co-defendants because his barrister was ill.

The teenager will now have to return to Wolverhampton Crown Court at the end of the month when it expected the case against him will be finalised but he has already been warned he is facing time in custody.

Joe Wood, Connor Pearson and Joseph Lister all admitted attacking Mr Cruwys when they were aged respectively at the time 13, 14 and 18.

Wood, now 15 of Woodstock Road, Wolverhampton was sent into custody for 56 months: Lister now 19 of Palmer Close, Wednesfield was given a 30 month sentence while Pearson, now 16, of Ettingshall Road was put in detention for a year.

The Judge lifted orders on the youngest offenders allowing their names to be published because of the seriousness of the case.

Ryan Meer, 19 of Watling Street, Gailey, admitted affray and he was given a two-month suspended prison sentence while 19-year-old Robert Beech of Springhill Road, Wolverhampton admitted using threatening behaviour and he was ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work.

Wolverhampton Crown Court was told none of the defendants had attended the Wolves game against Watford on March 7 last year which ended 2-2 but instead gathered in a pub before launching the attack on Mr Cruwys.

He was repeatedly punched and kicked and his head was stamped on as he made his way with friends to a pub for a drink before making the journey back to Watford.

Mr Cruwys was taken to Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital before being transferred to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham where he woke up after 10 days in the induced coma.

After the court hearing a spokesman for Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club welcome the sentences passed by the judge and said all defendants would be banned from Molineux for life.