The number of Swindon Town FC supporters arrested at matches rose by almost 60 per cent last season, amid warnings that a "new generation of troublemakers" is emerging.

Home Office statistics show there were 50 football-related arrests of Swindon Town fans during the 2002/03 season. That is a rise of 56 per cent over the previous playing year, when there were 32 arrests.

And more than 20 Swindon Town fans were banned by the courts from attending any matches.

Only six clubs in the Second Division had a larger number of bans and more supporters arrested. Cardiff City fans had 169 banning orders imposed and more than 102 arrests.

But Chief Inspector Roger Warner of Swindon Police said figures showed the overall number of arrests at Swindon home league matches, which would include rival supporters, had fallen, from 73 in 2001/02 to 60 last year. "Most matches are trouble-free," said Chief Inspector Warner. "The number of arrests can be heavily influenced by just one or two fixtures where problems occur."

Last season 24 arrests took place at a single fixture against Cardiff.

Home Office minister Hazel Blears said: "The increase in the number of football-related offences reflects a tough policing response to a lingering problem. Football disorder has been reduced in recent decades, but a minority of troublemakers continue to threaten our national game."