Football hooliganism among Bradford City followers has virtually been booted out by tough measures to tackle the problem.

A new book on hooliganism among soccer fans says Bradford's infamous Ointment Gang still had a hardcore of about 30 members, which can double for big games.

But police in West Yorkshire say football banning orders had removed Bradford City from the list of shame.

PC Jamie Smith, the force football intelligence officer, said banning orders have had a massive impact on the Ointment Gang with most of the group banned as a result of trouble at the pre-season friendly with Aberdeen in July 2003.

"We now have a group of younger people who keep the name of the Ointment Gang going, but they are not having much of an impact," said PC Smith.

"Historically, football violence comes and goes, and the problem is diminishing for the time being."

The book - Hooligans - profiles the gangs of the country's football clubs and looks at the battles and police operations surrounding hooliganism.

Written by Nick Lowles, a director of the anti-fascist organisation Searchlight, and former soccer hooligan Andy Nicholls, it also charts how the gangs were formed and organised.

It says that, though British hooliganism may be in terminal decline, there are still thousands of would-be yobs who turn out on match days.

The book says the core of the Ointment Gang is not growing but uses associates of hooligans as "rent-a-thug" reinforcements.

PC Smith said Bradford City only attracted about five yobs normally but that figure can rise to 25 for bigger games. He said policing had changed, as well as the seriousness with which courts now treat hooliganism, with hooligans without previous convictions being sent to prison.

He said the number of arrests of Bradford City fans was now minimal.

"Bradford is not one of the worst offenders. Once upon a time, when they were in the Premiership, they were up there with the others. Now they are not figuring in the list at all. That is mainly because of football banning orders."

PC Smith added: "I think football hooliganism has been and gone. Talking to the old hooligans the penalties are too severe."

The book tells how the Ointment Gang was unusual in that it was a multi-racial group and one of the few football mobs to have Sikhs involved.

Said PC Smith: "You did get all denominations within that group. They were never racially motivated."