MANCHESTER United Football Club have vowed to fight any attempt to ban their supporters from future away games at Charlton Athletic.

Charlton have said they will try to ban United's away supoprters from The Valley amid claims a female member of staff was sexually assaulted and a steward was injured at Saturday's match.

A male United fan was reportedly arrested and charged with sexual assault on Saturday afternoon, and spent the weekend in police custody. He was one of six away fans arrested.

The female member of staff had been helping disabled fans in the away end and was in the area to the rear of the stand when the alleged assault occurred.

But a spokesman for the Manchester club said: "We will be seeking the views of the FA Premier League once the post-match safety report and the referee's report have been taken into account.

"While we share the concerns over the incidents in question, we do not believe it is right to punish all of our fans who follow the team away from Old Trafford for the alleged actions of a few."

The Football Association have written to both clubs, seeking their observations.

Charlton chief executive Peter Varney said: "It is utterly despicable that anyone should be subjected to this sort of attack.

"I have never heard of anything like this at a football match before, and we would like to thank those Manchester United fans who witnessed it, and came forward to make statements to the police."

Three of the six arrested were fans who encroached on to the field of play immediately after United's second goal, when scorer Ruud Van Nistelrooy headed a group of United players towards the visiting fans to celebrate.

This led to a large number of United supporters surging forward, causing a metal gate to break and crush a steward, a man in his mid 30s from Essex.

It is the third time in four seasons trouble has erupted following Manchester United's visit to the Valley.

Ironically, in 2002, another Van Nistelrooy goal celebration led to a crowd surge at the away end which saw three fans injured and one steward assaulted.

When United visited The Valley in 2003, both a male and female steward were the subject of physical assaults. Now the Addicks are to propose banning United fans for future games at The Valley.

"What happened on Saturday is extremely disturbing, and something we are not used to at Charlton," added Mr Varney.

"David Gill and Sir Bobby Charlton were representing Manchester United on Saturday, and they are both decent men who I am sure will be as horrified as we are to learn what happened.

"It is the third time in four seasons we have had trouble like this, and when you consider the extra safety and security measures we take for games with Manchester United, you begin to wonder whether it's all worth it.

"I think, when we see the reports from the police and the local authority, it will leave us with little alternative but to refuse to sell tickets to Manchester United fans for future games at The Valley. I'd rather have the away end empty than to run the risk of further incidents like those we saw on Saturday."

* Police have confirmed a man had been charged following reports a woman was touched in a sexual manner during Saturday’s match. He was bailed until January.