THE distraught parents of a football fan who died on a trip to support his team today spoke of their devastation after the teenager who killed their son was jailed for seven years.

Andrew McNee, 19, a member of a group of soccer thugs known as the Burnley Suicide Youth Squad, was jailed at Preston Crown Court yesterday after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of Nathan Shaw.

Nathan, a 17-year-old apprentice plumber from Nottingham, died after being hit on the back of the head with a pint glass outside Yates's Wine Lodge.

He had travelled to Burnley with friends to watch Nottingham Forest play at Turf Moor on Saturday, December 7.

McNee, of Osborne Way, Haslingden, originally denied murder but was sentenced after agreeing to plead guilty to the lesser charge.

Outside the courtroom Nathan's mother Helen and father David said they felt let down.

Mrs Shaw added: "To say we are disappointed is an understatement really.

"We just feel let down by the justice system, but nothing would have been long enough and nothing would have compensated."

The court heard that Nathan and his friends had gone into Yates's pub in Burnley centre for a drink and to watch a football match that was being played earlier in the day.

Anthony Russell, prosecuting, said: "It does not appear that any were drunk or misbehaving."

The court heard McNee had been placed under a football banning order preventing him from attending Turf Moor after being deported from Vienna following an England game last year.

Mr Russell continued: "The group of Nottingham Forest fans were made to feel increasingly uncomfortable.

"It was an intimidating atmosphere and they decided to leave."

Ian Sharples, a friend of the defendant, told police he had heard McNee shouting: "Get out you ****ing ******s"

The court was told there was a confrontation outside the pub during which the Nottingham Forest fans backed off and a group of Burnley fans, including McNee, walked back to Yates's.

McNee was again heard to shout: "What the **** are we running back for? This is our town." Footage from a closed circuit television camera showed Nathan Shaw outside the pub putting a pint glass down in a nearby flower bed.

The court was told McNee struck him on the back of the head with the glass, which shattered.

The victim staggered and fell. He managed to get back on his feet and ran down St James's Street.

He told friends he did not feel well and that he could not feel his feet or toes.

He was taken to hospital, but died the following morning. A post-mortem examination revealed he had died of from the blow.

Sharples said that after the attack his friend was swaggering and had swapped clothing with others in an attempt to conceal his identity.

McNee was arrested and questioned at length for two days by police and denied the attack.

Alastair Webster, defending, said: "How it is that young men of his background feel it is acceptable getting into displays of open aggression relating to tribal football loyalties?

"It is hoped the death of Mr Shaw and the future of McNee may well act as a shock that such behaviour does lead to consequences far more serious than may have been contemplated."

McNee was also given a ten-year order which prevents him from entering Burnley town centre on match days.