POLICE IN £9M FOOTIE SCORE

Old Firm still paying the most but union chief is worried about rising lower league fans violence

- BY NORMAN SILVESTER

CASH-STRAPPED Police Scotland have charged football clubs nearly £9million in the last four seasons in a bid to recoup money spent on security inside grounds on match days.

The eye-watering figures emerged after fears were expressed by a police union chief that rising fan violence was spreading into the lower divisions, putting an already overstretched force at breaking point.

Police Scotland are able to charge for the cost of policing inside grounds but not the streets.

Figures revealed under Freedom of Information show that £1.86million in policing costs was recovered by the force in season 2021/22 as stadiums reopened following the end of lockdown.