Charlton Athletic's chief executive has heaped praise on police for helping put one of the biggest gangs of football hooligans behind bars.

Peter Varney says he hopes the total of 38 years' imprisonment for thugs involved in the Battle of Maze Hill' will put out the message "hooliganism will not be tolerated".

A two-year police operation came to a head on May 7 when seven thugs supporting Charlton and Southampton were given prison sentences at Kingston Crown Court.

They joined 10 others already imprisoned for their part in the terror at Maze Hill station at 2pm, on April 13, 2002.

Following months of planning and taunting over mobile phones and a US-based internet site, the rival gangs had a violent battle before terrified members of the public.

The Southampton thugs, who were outnumbered and mostly younger, were left bloodied and bruised as they were pelted with glass bottles by the mostly larger middle-aged Charlton firm.

They were later congratulated for their courage and bravery by their Charlton rivals in what both gangs said had been a "good day" before their favourite football teams clashed two train stops away at The Valley.

The thugs were found guilty of conspiracy to commit violent disorder after police found emails and mobile phone records revealing the violence was planned.

Mr Varney said: "We would like to congratulate all those involved in what has been a long, painstaking but ultimately successful investigation. Those who have been sentenced are not true supporters of Charlton Athletic or of football in general.

"We at Charlton hope this will send a strong message to anyone thinking of involving themselves in this sort of behaviour: hooliganism will not be tolerated."

Police used CCTV footage to track down the thugs and a series of dawn raids led to 20 arrests in October last year. All of the 17 members charged received six-year football banning orders.

British Transport Police spokesman Superintendent Colum Price said: "This shows just how determined we are to do what it takes to crack down on football hooliganism."