The repeal of the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act has moved to its final stage

Legislation which aims to clamp down on unacceptable conduct at football matches is facing the axe.

Holyrood's justice committee voted this week to reject two amendments proposed by the Scottish Government to the repeal of the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act, which would have delayed the scrapping of some sections of the legislation.

The fate of the controversial law will be decided at a final vote in the Scottish Parliament next month - with opposition parties previously having joined forces to vote for the act to be repealed.

Football fans have said that the law unfairly targets them, however some charities have called for politicians and football clubs to work together to ensure hate crimes are clamped down on.

The Scottish Government has said scrapping the bill is a backward step and could lead to an increase in abuse at matches in Scotland.

A government spokesman said: "The vast majority of football supporters are well-behaved and research from a YouGov poll also shows that 83% of respondents support laws to tackle offensive behaviour at football matches.

"The act makes it clear that no section of society is exempt from standards and behaviours that are considered acceptable everywhere else."

Charities Nil by Mouth and Stonewall have both expressed concern at the scrapping of the act, and have called for clubs and the authorities to work together to treat abuse seriously.

The repeal bill as been put forward by Labour MSP James Kelly, who has called for further investment in groups that tackle sectarianism.

"This is another big step forward for the campaign to scrap the football act," he said.

"Now that the SNP's last-ditch attempt to buy injury time has failed, it looks like it'll only be matter of weeks until this discredited law is taken off the books.

"Ministers now need to start investing in anti-sectarianism projects and accept that the failed football act is set for repeal."