THE ugly world of football hooliganismis on the rise, with teenage yobs at the forefront of the resurgence, new figures have revealed.

Incidents involving young people have almost trebled in the past three years.

There were 103 incidents involving youths last season, compared with just 38 in 2007/08.

The statistics, produced by the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), showed more than 280 teenagers were banned from football grounds at the end of August, making up almost 10 per cent of the 3,059 people on football banning orders.

In 2008/09, supporters of Bolton Wanderers were given 44 banning orders.

The figure placed the club 24th out of the 92 football league clubs.

Bury followers were given just six orders.

Leeds United topped the league with 162, followed by Cardiff City and Millwall.

Police chiefs say while the current trend is worrying, the rate of growth has slowed and the number of violent incidents were a long way from the levels seen in the 1970s and 1980s.

Andy Holt, the Association of Chief Police Officers lead on football policing, said: “It is something we are acutely aware of.

People are coming through and engaging in football disorder who perhaps weren't around in the heyday of football violence 15 to 20 years ago.

“So it is a worrying trend that the younger element are starting to pick up on this sort of behaviour.”