LAST season I followed Bolton Wanderers to every Premiership ground and spent nigh on £2,000 doing it, if you include the price of my season ticket.

This season, I have grown increasingly frustrated at the club's draconian stewarding methods, which recently culminated in the lifetime ban imposed on a supporter for daring to enter the field of play.

Without ever wishing to condone such actions, however understandable they may appear to be at the time, the fan showed more heart for the football club in those few seconds, than the collective masses employed by Bolton Wanderers to the tune of £20m per season.

Each home game from Shropshire takes away eight precious hours from my weekend. For any readers who are blissfully unaware of the Reebok Stadium matchday experience, perhaps you would allow me to describe what you get for your £25.

The threat of a clamp if you have the audacity to park your car on the Middlebrook development. You could park your car there and feel free to window shop all day without spending a dime. So why not use a club car park instead for nearly £120 per season? Then play 'I Spy' as you watch all the visiting supporters leave well ahead of you, courtesy of GMP.

Break into £5 and purchase the worst programme in the league before using the change to increase Fred Done's bank balance by foolishly predicting a home win.

Break into another £5 and order a beer, which takes all of half time to pour and then suffer chronic heartburn after downing it in five seconds flat so as not to miss the start of the second half.

And now for the best bit. Watch a set of stewards on the prowl for known troublemakers - aka persistent standers.

Now when I say persistent, please bear with me on this one for I think I can lay claim to a world record bid here.

At precisely 8.01pm on the evening of the Leeds United game, I sat in my usual seat with all the friends that I have made over the last six seasons, when I spot him out of the corner of my eye.

The orange coat gets ever closer and you know what's coming. A request to sit down 60 seconds into a football match! A sporting occasion that once allowed you the freedom to vent all your week's frustrations on dodgy match officials or has-beens that don't deserve the honour of wearing the shirt.

I feel like a child and my fervour is extinguished once more. Eighty nine minutes to go and I'm a beaten man.

So please don't bang on about persistent standing, because it's over-use is nothing more than a smokescreen and I've had enough.

It will be far easier to steward your ground with 8,000 in it next year. You can retain your family members, but with respect to the painted face brigade, they aren't what I would describe as hard core. Chelsea away, Ipswich away, Spurs away. All televised last year at unreasonable kick-off times. I was there each time. Could have caught the goals on Rupert Murdoch TV, but chose to attend like the diligent fan I obviously am.

Reebok stewards were probably all at home telling the wife and kids to sit down.

Now't like a bit of practice eh?

This is one supporter you are very close to losing. I am known to the manager and the chairman. I would welcome the opportunity of explaining what it's like to be treated in this manner.

Mr M S Wild

Ryefield Way

Whitchurch

Shropshire