A GROUP of football fans were last night facing bankruptcy after losing a long-running court battle to stop their club throwing them out of their seats to make way for corporate entertainment.

Six supporters, who formed the Save Our Seats campaign, now face an £82,000 legal bill after the appeal court ruled in favour of Newcastle United - a decision described yesterday as a dark day for British football.

Education inspector Jane Duffy, 43, who led SOS in its bid to overturn a High Court decision that the club was within its rights to move them, said last night: "We are bitterly disappointed, because we feel we had a strong legal argument.

"This has repercussions not only for Newcastle United fans, but for British football as a whole.

"It sends out the message to fans that they should not try and take on the big clubs."

The David and Goliath row erupted after thousands of fans were evicted in favour of corporate clients as part of a £42m refurbishment of St James' Park.

Some 2,100 supporters insisted the club had made a commitment when they bought £500 United Bonds in 1994, that the seats allocated to them were guaranteed for ten years.

But the club argued the bond only entitled them to a seat in the ground - not the same one.

Lord Justice Waller dealt the hammer blow in London, when he dismissed their appeal. He upheld the club's arguments that small print in the contracts allowed it to move bondholders from their allocated seats with "good and sufficient cause".

Murray Rosen, representing the six, said that while the club had succeeded in law, its actions had "hurt many hundreds of those who have the deepest commitment to the club".

He added: "Football is not simply about clubs making money from corporate hospitality, even if that is bona fide and in the interests of the club.

"It is also about the commitment of the fans who make it our national game."

The club said: "The Court of Appeal has confirmed that it was for the greater good of the club and persons who wish to watch Newcastle United generally that some bondholders should move seats."

Officials added the club board would "properly consider" the matter of costs and "hopes that it will be able to satisfactorily resolve this issue with the campaigners legal representatives".