MORE than 140 of Britain's worst football thugs live in Hampshire, according to new figures.

Hampshire police statistics reveal 147 banning orders are currently in force in the home of Southampton FC and Premiership rivals Portsmouth.

The bad behaviour makes Hampshire the country's seventh biggest hooligan hot spot, ahead of football heartlands such as Merseyside - home of Liverpool and Everton - and West Yorkshire, which has to police Leeds United.

Hampshire police submitted the figures to the Home Office along with every other police force in the country.

There are 25 banning orders in place in Southampton and a further 122 in Portsmouth.

Of them, 83 are as a result of Operation Market - started when violence flared after a Saints v Pompey match in March last year.

Chief Insp Derek Stone, who led Operation Market, said: "By working closely together with the football clubs we aim to ensure that all those who commit offences of violence, disorder or racism of any nature at football matches are not only prosecuted but receive banning orders."

Football banning orders are a civil measure designed to make it easier to stop hooligans attending games without proving criminal behaviour "beyond reasonable doubt".

Violence and disorder do not necessarily have to be football-related to lead to a ban and can involve behaviour that is not even a crime under British law.

That behaviour can include stirring up racial hatred, using threatening or abusive words and even displaying abusive or insulting writing, which could even include a tattoo.

According to a written parliamentary answer, nationally there are 2,771 banning orders in place, including 1,238 imposed last year alone.

Thugs sent to prison for football-related offences can also be banned for up to ten years.

The Football Supporters' Association has warned that innocent supporters with replica shirts and tattoos could find themselves banned under the laws.