THE battle to lift the Priestfield stadium ban on life-long Gillingham supporter Alan Liptrott goes to the dogs next week.

In an attempt to raise fresh awareness over Mr Liptrott's exclusion from the ground, the Gills Independent Supporters' Club are sponsoring a race at Sittingbourne Greyhound Stadium in Central Park. The race, called The Lift The Ban On Alan Promotion Stakes will be run Saturday, April 20.

Mr Liptrott has been unable to watch any of Gillingham’s home games this season after chairman Paul Scally banned him from the ground following his refusal to sell him his website domain name.

At the start of the season an anonymous benefactor paid for a light aircraft to fly over Priestfield carrying a banner appealing for Mr Liptrott's ban to be lifted before the match against Preston. Sponsoring a greyhound race is the brainchild of the Gills Independent Supporters' Association committee.

Mr Liptrott said: “I've come across many Gillingham supporters who think the ban has been lifted and that I'm back in the ground. Nothing could be further from the truth.

"By sponsoring this race we are making all local football fans, whether they support Gillingham or any other club, aware of the fact that I'm still excluded from a ground where I've been going for the best part of 30 years.”

To help Mr Liptrott, bookmakers Ladbrokes have put up £50 in betting vouchers for a competition being run on the Gills Independent Supporters’ Club website, Gills Connect.

The greyhound night is open to everyone and not just members of the Gills Independent Supporters’ Club.