A man has been jailed for throwing a chair that injured an Aberdeen player

An Aberdeen fan has been jailed for 18 months after he threw part of a chair that struck and injured one of the team’s players during a match in Dundee.

The actions of Ultras Aberdeen member David Gowans resulted in a deep laceration to Jack McKenzie’s left eye and a scratch to his face.

The incident occurred after the club’s defeat in the Scottish Premiership against Dundee United on May 17 last year.

The mayor told Gowans, who was also given a ten-year football ban, that his actions were “selfish, stupid, dangerous and completely irresponsible”.

Gowans, 32, previously admitted acting in a reckless and reckless manner which caused the defender to suffer serious injury and permanent disfigurement.

Dundee Sheriff Court was told in November that Gowans had been banned from attending Aberdeen matches for life by the club.

Sheriff Alister Carmichael said it was ironic that Gowans was near the Jim McLean Fair Play Stand at the time of the incident.

The warden said to him: “What you did could have caused a disturbance among the public.”

“Fortunately it didn’t cause any other problems.”

He said Gowans was reluctant to call police after the incident, and only did so “because he knew the game was up.”

The court was previously shown CCTV footage showing Dundee United fans storming the stadium after the club won the Europa League title.

Fiscal depute Lee Corr told the court McKenzie was walking towards the Aberdeen support to applaud them for their support when he was struck by the bench.

A witness in the stand containing Aberdeen supporters saw Gowans pick up a piece of the broken chair and throw it. Seconds later, Mackenzie was struck.

After the match, the court was told Gowans called Aberdeen supporters’ liaison officer Lyn Fisk and told her: “I have to be honest, the chair was me.”

But he added that he had “no idea” who hit her.

Larry Flynn, defending, said Gowans was “deeply embarrassed” by his actions.

He said: “He hasn’t been to a football match since, and it had a huge impact on his life.

Flynn said his client was suspended by his employers in November and no longer works in the oil industry.

“This has been a very steep learning curve for him,” he added.

“Mr. Gowans is an intelligent man and has not lived an antisocial life.”