A CONTROVERSIAL SPFL proposal to introduce facial-recognition technology at all 42 senior football grounds in Scotland at a cost of up to £4 million was last night described as “over the top” and a waste of public money.

SPFL board members have met with government ministers to ask for funding to install airport-style security scanners at turnstiles in a radical attempt to stamp out sectarian signing and the use of flares and smoke bombs.

The governing body is also poised to introduce far tougher punishments for clubs whose supporters cause trouble than are currently in place – with persistent offenders facing the possibility of being docked league points.

Andrew Jenkin of Supporters Direct Scotland has welcomed the attempt to crack down on anti-social behaviour following a series of alarming incidents at high-profile matches across the country this season.

The Scottish Cup fourth round replay between Linlithgow Rose and Forfar Athletic was marred by yobs throwing fireworks onto the artificial surface at Station Park and arrests were made after the match was abandoned due to floodlight failure.

The SPFL released a statement last night confirming they were investigating incidences of unacceptable conduct at the Rangers v Hibs match at Ibrox – when The Billy Boys was sung by a section of the support – and the Hearts v Dundee United game at Tynecastle after receiving the match delegates’ reports.

However, Jenkin has given a cool response to the plans to use CCTV cameras in order to identify supporters as they enter a stadium and then store their details on a database – so trouble makers can be barred.

“I can see why the SPFL want to get tough and take action, but perhaps this isn’t the best way,” he said. “I do fear it would be a bit too over the top in terms of the treatment of and mentality towards supporters in this country.

“Everyone wants to go to watch football and feel safe. We don’t want anti-social behaviour affecting anyone’s enjoyment. But we also don’t want to feel like football is different from everything else. I think this raises questions about football’s role within society.

“I know there are countries in eastern Europe which have facial recognition technology. It would be interesting to see the statistics and see if it actually made a tangible difference to incidences of crowd trouble in those nations."

Jenkin added: “I have seen it suggested that introducing facial-recognition technology would cost between £2 million and £4 million. That’s an awful lot of money, especially considering the funding cuts which are being made at the moment. I think a large sum of money like that could be better spent elsewhere.

“I like the idea of what Hearts have done with their texting policy. They have hotline which people can text anonymously. I think that would be a better way forward. I suppose this follows on from the calls for supporters to self-police matches."

Meanwhile, an official at the Cypriot club which requires to know the identity of supporters before they can gain entry to their games has revealed how the scheme has helped to snuff out a long-standing problem with fireworks.

Supporters setting off flares and smoke bombs in the stands has been a serious issue for many years in Cyprus - where players have even been injured and hospitalised in the past by missiles which have been thrown onto the pitch.

The title decider in Cyprus between AEL Limassol and Apoel Nicosia was abandoned in 2014 after a substitute was hospitalised - while he was sitting in the dugout watching the game.

“A children’s plastic toy egg filled with gunpowder was fired through the back of the glass dugout by some sort of pistol,” said Apoel official Nek Tarios yesterday.

“The Brazilian player Kaka was injured behind his ear. He had to be taken to hospital for treatment and the referee decided to abandon the game. Kaka spent a month out of the squad as a result of his injuries and decided not to stay in Cyprus and play football after that. He moved on to Portugal – mostly because of that incident.”

Tarios admitted the use of fireworks is endemic in Cypriot football and had marred their Europa League group match against Asteras Tripolis in Greece earlier on this season. The Group K encounter was stopped for almost 20 minutes by the match official after flares came onto the pitch in the second half.

However, Tarios stated that since the Asteras incident their games had been made all-ticket and supporters needed to show identification cards in order to attend. He explained how that radical move had proved hugely successful.

“Flares are not allowed in the stadium at our games, but, unfortunately, this is a problem in football in Cyprus and has been for a long time,” he said.

“But since the Asteras game we have required to know the identity of every fan who comes to our games. They have to show us their ID cards when they buy a ticket. There have been no problems as a result of this measure since then.”