THE Football League is being urged to intervene in the case of a lifelong Clarets fan banned from attending matches after a dispute with the club.

Wayne Murtaugh, 64, from Nelson, a Burnley FC follower since 1954, has been told he will not be sold tickets for Turf Moor.

He had challenged the amount he was offered from the Chairman’s Pledge, which gave season ticket holders a refund if the club were promoted to the Premier League.

Mr Murtaugh, a 100 Club ticket in the Bob Lord Stand, believed he was entitled to the full amount of an executive ticket and the matter had been set for the civil courts.

But in December, Burnley FC agreed to pay Mr Murtaugh the full cost of his ticket and his costs.

At the same time, the club told him he was no longer welcome and he would not be sold tickets for this season or the next.

Mr Murtaugh said: “The dispute is now settled so I want to put this firmly in the past and get back to what we all should be doing - supporting Burnley.

“I’m upset that the club are refusing to allow me back.

"I have not breached any ground regulations or behaved improperly at the club.

“It’s caused social stigma for me to be excluded. I would love to return to my seat.”

The Independent Football Ombudsman, Professor Derek Fraser, who investigated the dispute, concluded that “a long term or even a sine die (without an end day) ban would be excessive and unfair”.

That opinion is echoed by the national Football Supporters’ Federation.

Spokesman Alan Blore said: “We think the sensible response for the club would be to draw a line under this and reinstate Mr Murtaugh’s ticket.

“Mr Murtaugh made a complaint through the proper channels and ended up banned.

"We have written to the Football League to express this.”

A Burnley FC spokesman Club spokesman, said: “We have already made our position clear to Mr Murtaugh and will make no further comment on this matter.”