POLICE have set up a unit to tackle recent hooliganism at Oxford United matches.

Six Thames Valley Police officers are probing violence at home matches against Aldershot and Port Vale earlier this month. And more will be on standby at matches.

The U’s returned to the Football League this season, pitting them against bigger clubs including Wycombe Wanderers and Bradford.

Four men have been arrested and bailed on suspicion of affray, and police said more arrests were coming.

The move against a ‘hooligan minority’ was last night backed by club chiefs.

Officers are studying hours of CCTV footage from inside the Kassam Stadium and around the city to convict louts and ban them from all European matches for 10 years.

Detective Inspector Simon Morton, who is heading up the new unit, said: “It was clear there was quite a bit of disorder with the first game against Port Vale and that seemed to progress a step further with the Aldershot game.

“Now with close liaison with Oxford United we are trying to stop it there.”

He added: “This is a message to all those who seek to cause violence or misbehave at Oxford games.

“When banned you will not be allowed to attend any football game across Europe for up to 10 years, and you could end up in prison.”

The unit, at St Aldate’s police station in the city centre, was formed two weeks ago after the Aldershot match which ended 1-0 to Aldershot.

Two people were arrested for offences including assaulting a police officer and using threatening and abusive language and behaviour.

Club chairman Kelvin Thomas said: “We are pleased that the police are taking such authoritative measures and hopefully those people involved in the incidents will be looking over their shoulders at all times, wondering if they have been identified and arrested.

“We want this type of person to stay away from our football club as we are building a strong community club and are excited about the future.”

Trevor Lambert, chairman of Oxford United supporters’ trust OxVox, welcomed the move, saying said: “Football is a passionate game, but the passion shouldn’t spill over into violence.

“In Oxford we’ve found the problems are more likely to be associated with teams that have a large away following.

”Now we are back in the Football League, there are teams that have quite a large away following.”

Anyone with information about football violence should call police on 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Four Oxfordshire men, aged 24, 34, 44, and 41, were arrested on suspicion of affray and bailed, and more are expected to be arrested in the next few weeks.