IPSWICH Town and Middlesbrough fans united on Saturday to show the world that supporters can be passionate without being troublesome.

Stuart Watson

IPSWICH Town and Middlesbrough fans united on Saturday to show the world that supporters can be passionate without being troublesome.

Ipswich Town's Section 6 supporters group and Middlesbrough's Red Faction exchanged banners across the Riverside Stadium's south stand divide which read “supporters not criminals” and “fans not hooligans”.

The idea came about following the violent scenes at Upton Park recently when West Ham and Millwall fans clashed during their Carling Cup encounter.

Section 6 are a group of around a dozen fans that formed with the purpose of bringing some noise and colour to Ipswich's matches through the creation of new chants and banners.

They agreed to the banner swap ahead of Saturday's game as a show of solidarity to like-minded fans at Middlesbrough who last year were told by the club's safety officer that they were being 'too loud'.

Red Faction member Ian Moore said: “We don't want to go back to the violent scenes of the early 80s across Europe, but neither do we want the passion to disappear from the stands at football matches.

“We are all 30-something guys that meet in a quiet country pub to discuss new songs and banners.”

Section 6 member Matthew Thompson added: “Hooliganism is a problem in this country, but we felt it was important that not all supporters get tarred with the same brush.”