A frustrated Arsenal fan who jumped over a barrier and ran towards the manager during an away match at Southampton has been banned from going to games for three years.

Luke Bryant, 25, was sat with Southampton fans when he ran onto the sidelines of the football pitch during a game at St Mary's stadium, where Arsenal were losing 2-0.

Bryant admitted 'going onto an area adjacent to a playing area' of the Football Act 1991, where he shrugged his shoulders at Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

The fan, who Arsene Wenger thought was from the Southampton end, runs to the dugout and gestures

Stewards quickly led the man away as Arsenal manager Wenger shows little reaction to the confrontation

Wenger was confronted by an angry fan during the poor performance at St Mary's on New Year's Day

The father-of-two, who works in retail, said in court that he was frustrated with his club and 'just wanted his voice heard'.

Bryant, who has been a football fan since he was six years old, said he went over an advertising board - which stood at around two feet - to get onto the side of the pitch.

He said: 'It was sheer frustration at how the club was doing. I just wanted my voice heard.'

Bryant told Southampton Magistrates Court he put his arms out and shrugged at Arsenal manager Wenger before being taken away by the stewards during the match on January 1.

He said: 'I got to the front of the subs stand. I was there for a few seconds.

'I stood there and shrugged my shoulders. I pointed towards the pitch to say it was not good enough and that was it.'

Bryant, who has no previous convictions, said he had been contacted by 'unhappy' Southampton fans who made threats and which made his partner fearful for them and their two children and that he had reported the incidents to police.

He added that he had his car keyed and was due to promotion to supervisor but was unsuccessful as a result of the incident.

Bryant, a 'fully fledged' Arsenal fan of Lymington, Hants,, said: 'This experience has not been a pleasant one.

'The moment I stepped onto that pitch and saw the Arsenal manager, I felt guilty.

'It was stupid - five minutes of madness.'

Wenger feels the strain as Arsenal succumbed to a two-goal defeat against Southampton

Wenger gestures towards the fourth official on the touchline during a frustrating afternoon for Arsenal

Prosecuting Simon Jones said: 'If Mr Bryant's frustration is with the way the club is being run then the court have to decide about further behaviour, as he said himself there is not going to be a change in management for the foreseeable future.'

Defending Stephen Tricker said: 'He is saying 'I have learnt my lesson.'

'Mr Bryants says 'the mere experience of everything that is happening is significantly terrible for me not to make the same mistake twice'.'

Judge Anthony Carloway said: 'In the case of Bryant it is common ground, he unwisely decided to leave his allocated seat, mount an advertising board some two feet high and approach the manager Mr Arsene Wenger with outstretched arms.

'I understand from Mr Bryant the purpose of that activity was to reflect his opinion of the club also that he says the club is divided and his unhappiness at the club's structure and performance and so on.'

He added that a journalist who interviewed the manager after the match asked him about the incident. Wenger answered that he thought the 'young boy' was a Southampton fan and was 'not aggressive at all'.

He said that Bryant's actions were 'emotional' rather than planned.

Bryant was placed under a banning order for three years and fined £500. He was also ordered to pay £200 court costs.

Per Mertesacker stretches to try and hook Sadio Mane's shot off the line as Southampton take the lead