A number of Canaries fans have been caught buying concessionary season tickets they are not entitled to - with one fan even using their cat's name to buy a cheaper ticket.

A number of Canaries fans have been caught buying concessionary season tickets they are not entitled to - with one fan even using their cat's name to buy a cheaper ticket.

Chris Bailey, head of stadium operations and supporter services at Norwich City Football Club, said the club found out what was happening after asking the 4,500 people with under 21 concessionary tickets to verify their dates of birth to improve the club's database.

He said: 'One hundred and sixty people have had to upgrade or cancel their season ticket because the age that they had given was not correct,' he said, adding that the club was also waiting to hear from about 82 other people who are yet to verify their age.

'The vast majority of our fans, I am glad to say, have given us accurate information but there is a small minority who haven't.

'Each situation has been different as to how we have dealt with it. In some cases it could be a misunderstanding but in some of these cases you could say it is defrauding the club.'

He added: 'One person decided to create for themself an under 16 season ticket application for their cat and when we asked for their date of birth they admitted they had applied using their cat's name.

'We also had someone who was an adult get himself an under 12 ticket.'

In total the club has about 22,000 season ticket holders.

The cost of a season ticket for the Barclay Stand or Snake Pit bought at the first deadline price before March 5 this year was �423.50 for an adult, �173 for an under 21, �93.50 for an under 12, �281.50 for an over 65, and �248.50 for an over 75.

The issue of people buying concessionary season tickets they were not entitled to was revealed by the club at a meeting with supporters groups.

Robin Sainty, acting chairman of NCISA (Norwich City Independent Supporters Association), said: 'There is obviously a serious issue here. These people are paying cut prices for tickets and that is obviously costing the club and cheating the fellow fans and supporters.

'As a supporters association we applaud the club for doing what they have done because they have flushed out this malpractice.

'We are disappointed with the people who have done it (wrongly bought concessionary season tickets) because they are cheating their fellow fans.

'We just think it is very poor on the part of those fans who have done this.'

The ground capacity for Carrow Road is about 27,000.

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