Police have said they aim to make the new football season safer than ever for supporters by ensuring troublemakers get a red card.

The new season will see more high-profile derby matches played out in West Yorkshire than in recent years, and officers say they are keen to ensure supporters’ main talking point is their club’s prospects of promotion.

Last season West Yorkshire Police’s dedicated Football Banning Order Unit secured 26 injunctions against men from across the UK for involvement in disorder following fixtures involving clubs in West Yorkshire.

The force investigates people from West Yorkshire who become involved in disorder and compiles evidence on those from travelling clubs which come into the county.

This evidence is they given to their home police forces to assist them in their applications for Football Banning Orders.

Superintendent Paul Money, of the City and Holbeck Division, where the Football Banning Order Unit is based, said: “Attending a football match is safer now than ever before, and one of the main reasons for this is because we take a strong stance against any behaviour which is likely to spoil true supporters’ enjoyment of the game.

“The real supporters attending matches in West Yorkshire should have only one thing to worry about, and that’s their teams’ performances on the pitch.”

As well as the orders secured last season, 14 more are being considered by the Office of the Force Solicitor, meaning those involved could receive a knock on the door from an officer in the coming weeks.

The force has also provided evidence on six other men to the Metropolitan Police to assist their pending applications for Football Banning Orders.

Supt Money said: “Anyone who has previously been involved in incidents of disorder would be foolish to think they will not be brought to account for their actions, and by taking this approach we hope this will act as a deterrent and dissuade others from becoming involved in such conduct in the future.”