SUNDERLAND Football Club claims that research rating the club as the third-worst for hooligans in the Premiership is evidence of their tough stance on troublemakers.

According to figures released by Scottish Labour MP Jim Murphy, Sunderland came behind only Leeds United and Chelsea in the first-ever league table of the number of fans banned from each club, or placed under restriction orders. At Sunderland, there were 18 such people.

The club stressed that it is their strict security, and not a large number of unruly fans, that was responsible for the high placing.

Sunderland AFC safety officer John Davidson said the numbers reflected a tough clampdown on anti-social behaviour at matches.

He said: "We now have a firm line on the tiny majority who misbehave and, likewise, the people who commit offences at other grounds or abroad who face bans at the stadium.

"I have no concerns about the 18 people banned from this club, but obviously I'd like the number to be lower.

"The behaviour in the stadium is a quantum leap from what it used to be, although we still have the same idiotic fringe that other clubs have."

Middlesbrough came joint eighth with five barred fans and Newcastle United have banned eight.

In the Third Division, Darlington, Hartlepool and York were among 14 clubs with no banned fans whatsoever.