PARENTS of a young boy have hammered Premiership strugglers West Ham for writing to their son and threatening to ban him. And to make matters worse the 10-year-old got the hard-hitting letter from the club on his birthday. Being a season ticket holder at

PARENTS of a young boy have hammered Premiership strugglers West Ham for writing to their son and threatening to ban him.

And to make matters worse the 10-year-old got the hard-hitting letter from the club on his birthday.

Being a season ticket holder at Upton Park Matthew Crowe, of Fairfield Road, Biggles-

wade, thought he had received a birthday card.

Instead it was a terse letter saying it was a final warning to him about his behaviour.

It said if he was spotted on CCTV standing up during a game he would be banned for two games and escorted from the ground.

Not only that, he was warned the police would be informed of any banning order.

"You have ignored repeated requests to remain seated and are therefore placing the club in jeopardy of losing capacity," said the letter to Matthew, who is a pupil at Edward Peake Middle School.

"Your behaviour will be monitored by CCTV and if you fail to comply with the ground regulations an immediate ban will be imposed. The police will be informed."

Matthew is joined at home games by his dad David, 49 and brother Liam, 17.

No sooner had the letter arrived than David, a driver with Gunns Bakery in Sandy, and mum Eileen, 48, who works for Mid Beds District Council in Chicksands, cried foul on the Hammers and showed them a red card for their behaviour.

"It is disgraceful to send a child a letter like this. He lives for West Ham and it spoiled his birthday," said Eileen. "But it was all rubbish. When we complained to the club all they said was it was a statutory letter sent to ticket holders in the part of the ground where they have a standing problem.

"Of course he stands up when he gets excited, like most fans do. But he is only 10 years old."

Dad David, who is originally from Stevenage and was a pupil at Thomas Alleynes School said: "He only stands when West Ham score a goal and that isn't very often recently.

"We spend over £1,000 for three season tickets which is a lot of money and I am furious about this letter. I have been a West Ham fan for 40 years.

"It is disgraceful that nobody checked who they were sending the letter to. Matthew is well behaved at games. I just want West Ham to withdraw this threat. I have also sent a letter to Hammers' chairman Terence Brown."

Upton Park stadium manager John Ball said: "A letter of apology is going in the post today to the family.

"This was an administrative mistake that should never have happened. We are hoping to make up for our error and do something special at one of our home games."

l West Ham have confirmed that they will invite the Crowe family to be guests for the home match with Arsenal on Sunday.