FOUR soccer fans have been banned from Bolton Wanderers matches for the rest of their lives -- the first time hooligans have received life bans in the club's 125 year history.

The bans are part of a new policy revealed by Wanderers chiefs today in a bid to combat violent troublemakers who tarnish the reputation of the club by their actions.

The Wanderers will now bar for life any hooligan who is given a football banning order by magistrates.

And five year bans will be given by the club to anyone convicted of acts of violence without any orders being imposed by the courts.

The club confirmed that the life penalties it imposes will apply to both home and away matches.

The life bans today were given to Wanderers fans Shane Durham, Graham Knowles, Russell Brooks and Stephen Barrow, who were convicted of attacking Manchester United fans in a public mall during the Premiership clash at the Reebok Stadium last season.

A Bolton Wanderers club spokesman said today: "They are the first to receive life bans and we have now set a precedent. We will stamp out the problem.

"Bolton Wanderers Football Club would like to stress that it will never condone the actions of a minority of fans who have been convicted of any football related offence."

The four men were all part of a gang who tried to smash their way into the Spirit of St Louis bar -- which was packed with Manchester United fans.

Waste bins, bottles and glasses were all thrown at the bar's windows. Durham, aged 34, of Dougill Street, Bolton, Knowles, aged 29, of Northern Grove, Heaton; Brooks, aged 35, of Rusland Drive, Harwood and Barrow, aged 32, of Dilloway Street, St Helens, all pleaded guilty to affray at Bolton Magistrates' Court last month.

They were banned by the magistrates from all Wanderers games for five years and from being within a mile of any Premier or Nationwide League football game for two hours before and after matches.

But they have now been made subject to life bans by Wanderers chiefs.

Police football intelligence experts have revealed that a total of 23 other Wanderers fans are currently serving three or four year bans for disorder.

The Wanderers spokesman said: "Any person who has been convicted of a football related offence will in future be banned from attending games associated with Bolton Wanderers Football Club. With immediate effect any person who receives a Football Banning Order will be banned for life and anyone who is convicted but does not receive a Football Banning Order will be banned from Bolton Wanderers Football Club matches for a period of five years."

"In conjunction with Greater Manchester Police, the club is doing all it can to rid itself of such anti-social behaviour from the Reebok Stadium, and will not tolerate any behaviour of this kind from its supporters at home and whilst travelling to other grounds in the name of supporting the team."

A spokesman for Bolton Police's Football Intelligence Office said many other Premiership clubs and Nationwide League teams had launched similar life ban schemes.

He said: "It is going to help to prevent football violence in Bolton. It is still only a small minority of fans that we have problems with, but we welcome this."