SCORES of furious football fans are stepping up a campaign to force their club's East Lancashire-based chairman to quit.

Supporters from Brighton and Hove Albion will bombard Bill Archer and the FA with angry faxes and air their grievances on TV for a week before picketing outside the chairman's home and business in East Lancashire.

"The idea is to send a message to Mr Archer and the FA to leave them in no doubt how strongly fans from across the country feel about businessmen who have no interest in football or the community," said fan Nigel Summers.

Angry Seagulls fans plan to again descend on the village of Mellor to picket outside Mr Archer's luxury farmhouse in Whinney Lane as well as his business, Focus DIY's store in Blackburn, before and after their team play at Carlisle on Saturday, February 15.

Fans hope to stage peaceful protests but tempers are running so high that organisers fear some supporters will allow their frustrations to spill over. "It is important that we keep our campaign peaceful but there is an increasing number of people who are just getting very, very upset and frustrated. It wouldn't be any surprise if they did something very stupid at the protest," added Mr Summers.

The protest will be the latest effort in a long campaign to force the chairman to quit the club after the decision by Mr Archer and chief executive David Bellotti to sell off the Goldstone Ground.

Fans claim Mr Archer never had any connection with club, bought his shares for just £56.25 and has not invested in the club.

The protest will kick-start on Saturday as 10,000 supporters are expected from clubs across the country to travel to Brighton to take part in 'Fans United' to send messages to the FA and Mr Archer.

Mr Archer will attend the last planned meeting with the consortium and the mediators in London next week but if the chairman again refuses to quit the fans protests will go ahead as planned in East Lancashire.

Mr Archer was unavailable for comment.

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