BURNLEY is among the UK's best clubs at kicking football hooligans out of the game, new Government figures reveal.

Today police and club officials said the findings show their efforts to making matchdays trouble-free zones are working.

The figures are revealed in the Home Office's statistics showing all football related arrests and banning orders during the 2004-5 season.

The statistics reveal that Burnley is among the UK's front-runners when it comes to thwarting known troublemakers with only seven of the country's 100 plus clubs issuing more than the 28 banning orders police handed out last season.

Subjects have to sign on at their local station on the day of the fixture and surrender their passports when their domestic club or national team is playing abroad.

The banning orders, which put the club third highest in the 24-strong Championship, were issued as part of Operation Fixture - a Home Office funded scheme staffed by two officers dedicated to targetting individuals who engage in any form of football-related violence or disorder.

And Sergeant Colin Hudson of Operation Fixture said the latest statistics showed those intent on match day trouble were being dealt with.

"People do not want their entertainment spoiled by a minority of mindless idiots."

The initiative started in November 2002 and there are now 73 individuals from the Burnley area banned from football matches in England and Wales.

The Home Office figures also reveal that Blackburn Rovers are not shy about handing out banning orders with the Ewood Park team issuing 21 itself bringing its total to 40.

The bans normally last for three years and carry a power of arrest if breached.

The figures also show football-related arrests and again show police are getting tough with Burnley fans with 83 arrested last season compared to 35 the year before.

Blackburn saw their number of fans arrested drop by two to 44 and only one of Conference side Accrington Stanley's fans was arrested for a public order offence.

Nationally the statistics show a 21 per cent increase in the number of football banning orders - rising from 2,596 in October 2004 to 3,153 as of October this year.