FOOTBALL fans from major clubs who cause trouble at away games at smaller grounds are to be the subject of a crackdown by senior police officers and ministers.

One of the main measures will be football banning orders, which have been available to courts since September 1 and which can be used to exclude fans from games for up to 10 years.

Jack McConnell revealed the move at First Minister 's questions after Donald Gorrie, the Liberal Democrat MSP for Central Scotland, asked how the banning orders would help keep order at this weekend's Old Firm derby.