IPSWICH fans will be paying more for their football next season.The club today announced an above-inflation hike in season ticket prices of four per cent.

IPSWICH fans will be paying more for their football next season.

The club today announced an above-inflation hike in season ticket prices of four per cent.

It means a typical North Stand supporter, who paid £354 last year, will have to fork out more than £14 extra for the 2007-2008 campaign.

But there is good news for younger fans - season ticket prices for under-20s, 16s, 11s and 7s will remain the same.

The news comes after Championship rivals Southampton - the clubs meet at St Mary's tomorrow - announced they were slashing prices across the board.

And the Saints, managed by ex-Town boss George Burley, will honour their promise even if they are promoted to the Premiership for next term.

According to the latest Bank of England statistics, inflation in the UK is currently running at 2.7 per cent.

But the club pointed out in an official statement that supporters who take advantage of the 'early bird' deadline, and pay in full for their tickets by April 13, will receive the equivalent of six free games next season.

This is compared to the cost of attending Portman Road on a match-by-match, with typical savings, according to Town, of over £200 for adults and over £150 for senior citizens, figures based on the club maintaining their Championship status.

The Club are once again giving supporters the chance to spread the cost over four months, using the three-cheque, interest-free method of payment that has proved popular in the past.

Town's younger supporters will also benefit from a new free junior club membership scheme.

All under-16s will be eligible to join, with season ticket holders under the age of 16 automatically enrolled into the new club, giving youngsters the opportunity to get closer to their favourite club.

It remains to be seen how the new pricing structure will affect sales of season tickets - “the bedrock for our financial planning for the forthcoming season” wrote chief executive Derek Bowden in the official programme for Tuesday's home defeat by Wolves.

The current Portman Road average attendance is 2,000 down on last season and the club, struggling to cope with the burden of a £36 million debt, can ill afford a further slump next time round.