Some Gillingham fans are threatening to not renew their season tickets in protest at being required to bring ID cards to matches.

New conditions imposed by the Gills for this season aim to crack down on people misusing season tickets, such as an adult getting into Priestfield using a child's pass.

To enter the ground on match days, fans must now present their season ticket book, match voucher and an ID card at the turnstile. All season tickets will now be colour coded according to age.

"Think it is disgusting that the club are going to try and make me pay another £5 for a match ticket I have paid for in advance..." - season ticket holder James Martin

If a season ticket holder cannot make a game and wants a family member or friend to go in their place, they will have to go to the ticket office and pay £5 for a guest ticket.

This will then need to be shown at the gate with the season ticket holder's book and ID card.

The same system will work for under-12s, with a £1 guest pass.

Fans have previously been free to hand their ticket to friends or family at no extra charge.

Sales and marketing director Paulo Kingston-Correia wrote on the club's website: "Season tickets are for the applicant only and cannot be transferred; therefore only one season ticket per person is available for the 2013/2014 season.

"Additionally, all season tickets are colour coded to age bands as per the reverse of this letter; this will prevent adults using a child season ticket for example.

"Your season ticket book must be shown with your ID card and relevant match voucher to gain entry to all GFC season 2013/2014 home league games.

"Failure to produce the book, relevant match voucher and ID card by the named person on the book and card will result in no admittance."

Fans have criticised the changes, with some complaining they only found out about them after paying hundreds of pounds for their season tickets.

Season ticket holder James Martin wrote in an email to the club: "Think it is disgusting that the club are going to try and make me pay another £5 for a match ticket I have paid for in advance and jump through an over-engineered hoop for the privilege.

"I do not believe that this is showing the loyal fans anything but disdain and is disrespectful to say the least.

"The income your ill thought out revenue generator will bring is undoubtedly going to back-fire. I for one will not be renewing and if I could get a refund now I would."

Gills message boards are awash with comments, with some agreeing with the changes and expressing little sympathy for those who are unhappy. But the majority appear to be against the conditions.

On the Gillingham Fans Online forum, wxgill wrote: "[I] totally agree it's wrong for a person to buy the wrong season ticket for their circumstances (e.g. an adult going in with a youth season ticket). That is a fiddle and totally wrong. No argument from me.

"What is wrong, IMO [in my opinion], is trying to get more money out of a ST holder because they cannot make all the games and pass the ticket to a family member or a friend.

"The ST holder is not seeking to make any money for themselves. In the current climate things are tough so why try and squeeze the punter for more money?"

What do you think of the changes? Let us know by leaving a comment below.