Tom Ince has left Reading to sign a two-year contract at Watford

Former Stoke City forward Tom Ince is returning to the Championship after Watford activated a relegation release clause.

Ince, aged 31, leaves Reading for about £50,000 to sign a two-year deal with option of a further 12 months and join current manager Valerien Ismael at Vicarage Road. Ismael has already brought in Jorge Cabezas from Real Cartagena and Rhys Healey from Toulouse.

Ince remains the ninth most expensive signing in Stoke’s history after his £10m move in the summer of 2018 from Huddersfield Town, where Gary Rowett had sold him from Derby County a year previously.

He was the most threatening forward under Rowett but struggled under Nathan Jones, who favoured a winger-less diamond formation, and couldn’t win his form back under Michael O’Neill. Ironically he joined Jones’s Luton Town on loan before moving to Reading, initially on loan, in January last year.

The former England youth international was a key player, mostly with his dad Paul Ince as manager, but Reading have spiralled into crisis and a six-point penalty for not following an EFL-approved business plan led to relegation and increased protests against owner Dai Yongge.

Ince Sr was sacked with five games to go and Reading are set to appoint former Southampton boss Ruben Selles ahead of their League One campaign. Head of scouting Jared Dublin has left this week to join Stoke.

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A violent football fan has been sent to jail after clashing with Stoke City fans at a service station. Hull City supporter Lee Waud has been sent down for nearly three years over two incidents.

The first saw him throw punches at two Swansea City fans surrounded by Hull supporters in a car park outside the club’s MKM Stadium.

The second happened about two weeks later later, when the 38-year-old again engaged in violence when Hull fans clashed with Stoke supporters who had been to another completely unrelated match, Hull Crown Court heard.

Waud, of Staveley Road, east Hull, admitted two offences of affray on April 29 and May 8. He also admitted breaching a 14-month suspended prison sentence imposed on August 31 last year for affray.

The second happened about two weeks later later, when the 38-year-old again engaged in violence when Hull fans clashed with Stoke supporters who had been to another completely unrelated match, Hull Crown Court heard.

Waud, of Staveley Road, east Hull, admitted two offences of affray on April 29 and May 8. He also admitted breaching a 14-month suspended prison sentence imposed on August 31 last year for affray.

Judge Mark Bury said that there was a “bad-tempered” football match at the MKM Stadium between Hull City and Swansea City on April 29. There was disorder at the match, including an incident at half-time.

After the game, when spectators were leaving, two Swansea fans, aged between 18 and 21, found themselves isolated from their group and surrounded by Hull City supporters, including Waud, who had been drinking. Waud and the others were in a car park area near the football ground.

“You were the first person to use violence towards these young men,” said Judge Bury. “You went up to one of them and punched them.”

There was then a stand-off and a lot of pushing and shoving. “Other Hull City fans waded in with their fists,” said Judge Bury. “You have the lion’s share of the blame for that offence because you started it.”

Waud was again punching one of the men towards the end of the confrontation. Stewards took the rival fans to safety and they were in some distress.

“They had been punched a number of times,” said Judge Bury. There were about 15 Hull City fans and just two from Swansea. “This was a prolonged incident,” said Judge Bury. “Two Swansea City fans were targeted by a group including you a

Service station ‘scrap’

On May 8, Hull City had been playing an away match at Watford. Waud went to the match and the Hull City fans stopped at a service station at Northampton. Fans of Stoke City had also been playing an away match and had stopped at the services.

There was a confrontation between the two sets of fans, although Waud, who had again been drinking, was not as prominent this time. “This was an incident where the two groups had been ready for a scrap,” said Judge Bury.

There were “perfectly innocent people” standing around, including children and those waiting for food and they were caught up in the trouble. “You were seen to punch one of the opposition supporters,” said Judge Bury.

Waud had convictions for 11 previous offences, including the affray from last year and assault. Tayo Dasaolu, mitigating, said that Waud had shown remorse and was sorry for his actions. He made himself known to police, handed himself in and owned up to what he had done.

“He assisted the officers in identifying him,” said Miss Dasaolu. At the time, Waud had been suffering drug and alcohol problems. He had been remanded in custody for about a month and was engaging with help available to him.

Waud had five children to help to look after. “He has made significant changes in his life despite the limited support that he has received,” said Miss Dasaolu.

Waud was jailed for two years and 11 months. The sentence included the activation of the 14-month suspended sentence. He was given a 10-year football banning order.