The number of football hooligans arrested by the police fell last season, official figures have revealed, reports ITV Football. Home Office statistics showed there were 3,752 arrests at matches in England and Wales - a fall of 2% on the 2007/8 season.

Half were for disorder and around a third for alcohol offences. Other arrests were for ticket touting and violence. Manchester United fans topped the Premier League arrest charts.

Of 1,600 arrests of fans with clubs in the top flight, 185 were followers of the league title holders. Second was relegated Newcastle with 144 arrests and third was Everton with 139. Fulham had the fewest fans arrested with just 13.

More than three thousand fans are banned from watching matches.

Of those Leeds fans are the worst offenders with 162 coming under banning orders, behind Cardiff with 124 and Millwall with 110.

International matches involving England or Wales at home and abroad led to 35 arrests.

Policing minister David Hanson said: "Hooligans once blighted our national game, but we now set an example for the rest of the world in how we police football matches.

"I am pleased with the way clubs and police work together, but we must also praise fans for realising violence has no place in the modern game.

"We are not complacent and will carry on working to ensure this success story continues into the future."