TICKET touts are being blamed for ripping off fans and jeopardising security on the eve of Saints’ biggest game of the season.

The Daily Echo can reveal tickets for tomorrow’s Manchester United clash have been illegally sold on Internet sites for up to more than six times their face value.

The news will anger Saints fans left disappointed at being unable to get into the match and means attempts to keep fans segregated could be jeopardised.

Last night Saints and the police urged fans not to buy tickets from unauthorised sites, and say they will investigate if visiting supporters are found in the home sections.

For Saints fans, the match against the English, European and newly-crowned World champions offers a distraction from the doom and gloom of sitting second-bottom of the Championship.

And with huge demand for the third round FA Cup clash, all 32,000 tickets were quickly snapped up – the first St Mary’s sell-out of the season.

But the Daily Echo has discovered tickets being sold for as much as £185 – 620 per cent higher than the standard £30 value.

While some have turned up on auction and classified-style websites, most are being sold through specialist sports ticket agencies.

Last night, a host of sites were still offering tickets for tomorrow’s televised clash, with the cheapest charging £99.

“How did they get the tickets in the first place?” said Saints Trust chairman Nick Illingsworth.

“You can’t blame the club, because they’ve done as much as they could to ensure the tickets were sold to the right people – they were only sold to people who have appeared on the database before.

“But they really have to look at who then sold them on and how.”

The unauthorised ticket sales could also spark problems inside the ground with opposing fans mingling with each other.

“No one wants to see them in there,” said Mr Illingsworth. “If that happens then they should rightly be ejected from the ground because the rules clearly state home supporters only, but if I’d paid £185 for a ticket I would be quite miffed if I then got thrown out.”

A club spokesman added: “We would urge any supporters not to buy tickets through these routes. It is illegal to re-sell tickets for profit, and we will certainly look to take all action available.

“Our information is these tickets are for the United end, and we’re confident our tickets are not being touted.

“But if they are, it’s easy to trace back and they’re not going to get through if they get found.”

While some sites selling tickets state they are for home or away fans only, others make no distinction and one even offers customers the choice of sitting in “neutral” sections – despite none existing in the ground.

Although not considered fierce rivals, there is historic animosity between the supporters and the game will have high matchday security with 63 police officers due in the ground.

The last time the two teams met, on the final day of the 2004/5 season, United’s 2-1 win relegated Saints from the Premiership for the first time in 27 years.

Demotion from the top flight of English football has seen Saints endure plummeting attendances at St Mary’s and a huge drop in income.