THIRSTY football fans are being “ripped off” by the sky-high cost of a pint of lager at two of the region’s Premiership clubs, it was claimed yesterday.

The Liberal Democrats hit out at Newcastle United and Sunderland football clubs for charging 44p more per pint than drinkers would pay at the average pub.

Both St James’ Park and the Stadium of Light charge £3.20 per pint, according to the Lib Dems – compared to an average £2.76 in a pub. In contrast, a pint costs £2.80 at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium.

It means that, over the course of the season, fans are paying huge amounts more than they should at both Sunderland (£192,280) and Newcastle United (£83,600), it was claimed.

The figures are the difference between the overall bar takings at each club and the income if supporters had been charged the average £2.76 price of a pint.

Don Foster, the Lib Dem sports spokesman, said: “Unfortunately, it comes as little surprise to me that Premier League football fans are, once again, being ripped off.

“As if extortionate ticket prices weren’t bad enough, top-flight football clubs are charging over the odds for a basic pint. This blatant profiteering should not continue to go unnoticed.

“When will Premier League football clubs learn to stop taking the loyalty of their fans for granted?”

Black Cats’ fans had the dubious honour of far outdrinking Magpies’ supporters last season, consuming 23,000 pints-per-game compared to 10,000 for their North-East rivals – even though the Stadium of Light’s capacity (49,000) is smaller than St James’ Park (52,200).

Mr Foster’s survey also highlighted high prices at some rugby union clubs, including Newcastle Falcons, where a pint costs £3.

However, Newcastle United and Sunderland were easy on the wallet compared to Chelsea. The London club charges £4 per pint – scooping “excess” takings of £353,400 over the season.

Alcohol takings at the Stadium of Light amounted to almost £1.4m a season – more than 12 per cent of the entire Premiership bar bill.

Across the Premiership as a whole, fans spent £1.7m too much on overall takings of £11m – having drunk 178,175 pints at games.

Arsenal, Manchester City, West Ham and Fulham all charge supporters £3.50 a pint. Wigan charge their fans the least – only £2.70.