THE four matches with the highest number of charges for offensive behaviour at football have been revealed.

None of the matches involve the Old Firm clubs.

New Government figures show the number of charges under the act increased by almost 50% in the last year and four fixtures made up almost 20% of all charges.

While Ibrox Stadium was, over the year, the stadium with the highest number of charges, at 24 and Rangers fans were charged on 71 occasions, the clubs fans were not involved in the four with the most people charged.

Celtic Park had fewer than five charges over the year and 27 fans charged overall.

The four most offending fixtures were a Hearts versus Kilmarnock match on October 3 last year with 20 charges, Livingstone v St Mirren, on Oct 17 with  19 charges, Kilmarnock V Partick Thistle, on Nov 28 with 14 and Kilmarnock v Dundee United, on august 1 with 8.

All the charges at the fixtures were for threatening behaviour and not religiously motivated

Of the 11 matches with more than five charges only one involved Rangers, away to Livingstone in April last year and none involved Celtic.

Charges under the act increased from 193 to 287 in a year prompting the government to warn the legislation must stay and further action form the football authorities in required.

Justice Secretary, Michael Matheson, backed the controversial act and warned that with overall crime going down in Scotland a rise in football associated crime will not be tolerated.

He said “An increase in the number of charges under the Offensive Behaviour Act shows that the legislation continues to be an important tool in tackling all forms of offensive behaviour, including sectarianism, and sends a clear message that such behaviour has no place in a modern, open and inclusive society.

“I have asked Scottish football to take further steps to address this long-standing issue and I expect to see progress on this imminently.”

James Kelly, Glasgow Labour MSP, who wants to scrap the Act and has stated the process of bringing a member’s bill to parliament said there is confusion.

He said: “A quarter of charges do not proceed to court, never mind result in a conviction. This reinforces the lack of clarity and confusion around the Football Act. It is not effective and I will be pressing ahead with my plans for a Private Members Bill to repeal the Football Act."