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A Bristol City fan facing being banned from Ashton Gate for swearing says he thinks he is being discriminated against because he has a Scottish accent.

Barry Innes is being moved from his seat in the South Stand to a different part of the ground following what the club said were ‘repeated complaints’ from supporters sitting near him.

And the club are warning him he faces being banned from one or more games if he carries on swearing at matches.

But Mr Innes, who lives in Southmead, has a fairly thick Scottish accent, and said he believes either the club’s stewards are picking on him because he is Scottish, or his bad language sticks out among ‘everyone else there who swears’ because of his distinctive voice.

Mr Innes had his first letter from Ashton Gate after the first home game of the season, warning him people around him had complained about his bad language.

Then, following the big game against Leeds United on Saturday, he’s received another email - this time telling him he’s being moved.

Mr Innes first moved to Bristol in 2005, and has been a season ticket holder at Bristol City for the past eight years, supporting the club through the dark days in League One, through promotion and now the cup runs and promotion push of the Lee Johnson era.

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He approached Bristol Live to say he thinks his Scottish accent might seem aggressive to people, but he is never threatening.

“I think it’s because I’m Scottish, so it seems aggressive. It stands out a bit,” he said.

“I might swear on the odd occasion, but to say it’s repeatedly is rubbish.

“A lot of people swear around me at the match. There might be 50 people swearing. The people behind me are louder than me, and my friends at the game will shout and swear.

“But I have tried not to, but it sometimes slips out, and it stands out a bit more.

(Image: BristolLive)

“I say it to myself, something like ‘oh f***ing hell, ref!’, or ‘for f***’s sake!’ But I never swear at anybody,” he added.

Ahead of tonight’s game at home to Ipswich Town, he isn’t sure where he will be seated.

Bristol Live understands while the stewards on the ground likely know Mr Innes is Scottish, the stadium managers at Ashton Gate sending out the warnings did not know he was originally from north of the border until Monday this week.

An Ashton Gate spokesperson said Mr Innes was falling foul of the EFL’s regulations about foul and abusive language.

(Image: Rogan/JMP)

“We have received repeated complaints from supporters sitting near Mr Innes, that he is aggressive and shouts foul and abusive language when he attends a game,” she said.

“In accordance with Regulation 9 of the EFL’s Football Ground Regulations: The use of threatening behaviour, foul or abusive language is strictly forbidden and will result in arrest and/or ejection from the ground.

"The club may impose a ban of one or more matches. Up until now we’ve tried to appeal to Mr. Innes to curb his language and behaviour.

(Image: BristolLive)

"However, at the Leeds game here at the weekend, we received several complaints from supporters around him, requesting him to stop swearing. Mr Innes replied: 'It’s a f***ing football match',” she added.

“Mr Innes will now be moved from his seat in the South Stand and relocated to another area where he will be closely monitored. If he persists in this anti-social behaviour he will be ejected and /or banned from the stadium,” she said.