Football yobs from the 1970s and 80s are still causing trouble at matches, figures reveal.
A total of 134 are now serving bans from grounds around the country – including old age pensioners.
The list of shame emerged days after seven Newcastle United fans over the age of 50 were jailed following an attack at a pub in Burnley in 2019 where pool cues and bar stools were used as weapons.
And experts warn wrinklies from the bad old days are the biggest worry at games.
Prof Geoff Pearson, a senior law lecturer at Manchester University, who has researched policing of football hooliganism, said: “When I go to matches, I’m not scared at all by teens or 20-somethings acting tough.
“But if it’s over-50s, I certainly keep my distance.
“They’ll most likely have been involved in the disorder we saw back in the 70s and 80s.”
A retired Football Intelligence Unit officer – who spent 12 years issuing banning orders – described the thugs as an “older generation of hooligans foolishly wanting to relive their ‘glory’ days”.
Sixty of the over-50s now serving bans of differing lengths follow Premier League sides.
West Ham are top with eight, followed by Chelsea and Burnley with six each. Man City have banned one thug over 65.
In the second tier Championship, 29 over-50s are serving bans. Stoke and Swansea have each kicked out five fans between 50 and 64, while Middlesbrough have one supporter over 65 excluded from games.
League One has 13 bans, League Two has 22, while the remaining orders were handed to followers of non-league clubs.
A total of seven over-65s are now on red cards nationwide, while 1,487 in the under-50 age group are excluded from matches.
Among the ageing yobs to have faced court is Aston Villa-supporting grandad Gary Tucker, 53, who attacked Cardiff City fans after a match.
Tucker, who claimed he suffered ill health, was found guilty of violent disorder, jailed for nine months in 2019 and handed a six-year ban.
Racism is rife among older thugs. Last year Man City fans Ian Baldry, 58, and James McConnell, 57, were banned from stadiums for five years after hurling abuse at Raheem Sterling.
Stoke City supporter Carl Mason, 53, was last year handed a three-year ban after racially abusing an opposition goalkeeper.
In 2015, Cambridge United bosses warned football was facing a “new” threat of hooliganism from retired grandads.
Club chiefs said 70s and 80s boot boys were back after being away for a couple of decades to raise families.