Ipswich Town yesterday increased ticket prices by an average of around 12 per cent.

But they confirmed their commitment to bring the game to a wider range of fans by slashing family prices.

Ipswich chairman David Sheepshanks said: "I hope all our fans will support this new pricing policy and play a major part in our pursuit of making the millennium our year for promotion."

Adult prices for the North Stand have increased from £13 to £14, while the most expensive tickets for adults have risen £2 to £21.

The cheapest junior prices have gone up from £3 to £4 but the cost of a family ticket has been lowered by £2.

A further 1,000 seats will be made available to the family enclosure which has now been moved to the Lower West Stand to enable children to be closer to the action.

Sheepshanks said: "We continue to try to make football at Portman Road as accessible as possible to everyone and that means passing the lower increases to the lower price categories. Two-thirds of the ground will rise by £1 per ticket on match day.

"Season tickets continue to be extremely good value with 20 per cent discounts for early purchases equating to nearly five matches free of charge."

Further discounts are being offered on season tickets for fans to buy before June 26.

Sheepshanks also confirmed that if the Kieron Dyer sale for £5-7 million to a Premiership club goes ahead, George Burley will have money to spend.

Sheepshanks said: "No other players will need to be sold and we will be able to add further players to our squad."

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