BOLTON WANDERERS is the target of a legal action being brought by a Wirral firm of solcitiors on behalf of an Everton fan who claims he was assaulted by club stewards.
Evertonian Ian Kay, won two tickets to see his team play struggling Bolton at the Reebok Stadium earlier this month, and attended with his son Duncan, eight.
The tickets were in the home end and, with Everton winning 2-1, Bolton fans began leaving early.
Mr Kay, 46, from Liverpool, claims that as more fans left, stewards asked him and his son to leave the stand. But he refused and asked if he and his son could remain in their seats until the end of the game. Mr Kay says they were repeatedly told they had to move.
He claims he tried to speak to a police officer, but that a steward grabbed his arm behind his back and forcibly removed him from his seat. Mr Kay later discovered that he had suffered a fractured thumb in the alleged assault.
The IT salesman has reported the incident to Greater Manchester Police, who are investigating He has also hired Wirral-based Kirwans Solicitors to launch a civil claim for compensation against Bolton Wanderers.
Simon Gibson, of Kirwans Solicitors, said: "This alleged assault makes a total mockery of the Premier League's stated aim to encourage more young families to watch matches."
Mr Kay said: "I went to Bolton looking forward to seeing my son enjoy his first ever away game, but instead ended up being dealt with like a football hooligan.
"When I was led out of the ground, my son was left on his own and when he was returned to me was crying and badly shaken. It will be a long time before he wants to attend another game.
"At half time another steward had been hostile towards us when we asked to move across to sit with the Everton fans, but were told we couldn't."
Jan Kozlowski, Facilities Manager at Bolton Wanderers, said: "We are taking this allegation very seriously and have launched an investigation into the circumstances of the claim."
A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police confirmed they are investigating the allegations.