SUNDERLAND chairman Niall Quinn is being urged to lift a match ban on fans arrested after an incident with police.

Black Cats fans launched an on-line petition, which within hours had attracted more than 300 signatures, after the club banned at least 15 fans, including season ticket holders, pending the outcome of investigations.

They were in an incident at Newcastle Central Station on Saturday August 8 as Sunderland fans returned from a friendly in Edinburgh.

Four fans were injured from alleged police baton blows or bites from unmuzzled police dogs and a total of 44 were eventually arrested - some following Press appeals in which their photographs were published - but no-one has yet been charged..

Northumbria Police maintained fans attacked their dogs - although they later admitted in a Freedom of Information request that none was injured. Fans maintained policing methods led to the trouble and that they were not the aggressors.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission’s initial investigation found no police wrongdoing.

The Football Supporters Federation says some fans have received letters from the club banning them from matches until matters are resolved.

Federation chairman Dr Malcolm Clarke, a Stoke City fan, said: "We are seeing more and more clubs treating fans in this way, receive similar complaints from supporters up and down the country.

"I have little doubt that the protest will attract the support and solidarity of fans the length and breadth of the country, many of whom suffer exactly the same problems at their own clubs.

" We sincerely hope Mr Quinn will listen to his team's supporters on this issue. Sunderland's Chairman has an excellent reputation as a man who truly values his team's supporters, and if he can't see that this policy is deplorable then we might as well all just give up and go home."

He added that the federation was looking at whether the club was breaching its ticket terms and conditions.

Sunderland Chief Executive Steve Walton said the club did not tolerate anti-social behaviour.

" It is club policy to temporarily suspend season tickets or ban match to match attenders from the stadium in the event they have been arrested and are on bail or if they have charged with an offence until the results of such an investigation or court action has been concluded.’’ Anyone found guilty would be given a banning order but if they were cleared "he/she will be welcomed back to the stadium."

A Northumbria Police spokeswoman said no-one had yet been charged and investigations were on-going.’’