Police have urged Bradford City to drop plans to put Liverpool fans next to home supporters - or risk a football tragedy.

The club has banned away supporters from its new north west corner stand following crowd trouble at the Manchester United game last month.

But City have said the ban will not apply to the Liverpool game as corner stand tickets for the fixture have already been sold to away fans.

The date of the game has yet to be rearranged after the original fixture was snowed off.

Today the officer in charge of match-day policing at Valley Parade urged the club to rethink its ticketing arrangements.

Chief Inspector Ray Shepherd said he would be reluctant to police the game if opposing fans were allowed to sit so close to each other.

"We don't want another serious safety incident or disaster - particularly in view of what has happened to both clubs in the past," he said.

Ch Insp Shepherd was referring to the football tragedies at Hillsborough and Valley Parade.

He said: "The police view is that away supporters should not be placed in the north west corner again, including the Liverpool match.

"Discussions are now ongoing between the safety team and the club. The police feel the match should be re-ticketed and have let these views be known to the safety team and the club.

"We will be reluctant to police this or any other match with away fans in the new corner section."

About 2,000 tickets have already been sold to Liverpool for the north west corner - which adjoins areas of the Kop end 'home' stand popular with families.

Ch Insp Shepherd said he realised Bradford City were in a difficult position as far as ticketing arrangements were concerned.

"They may be able to make alternative arrangements to accommodate visiting fans," he said. "But ticketing is a matter for the two clubs to sort out.

"I am concerned with public safety. We will do all we can in conjunction with the club and safety team to ensure fans are accommodated safely."

City chairman Geoffrey Richmond admitted after the Manchester United game the club had been wrong to put fans in the north west corner.

Trouble flared when away supporters invaded the Kop end. There were reports of coin throwing, abusive language and clashes between supporters and stewards - which left young fans distressed and in tears.

The club apologised for the trouble and organised an open day for young supporters as a goodwill gesture.

A statement from Bradford City after the Manchester United match said: "There will be Liverpool supporters in the corner stand because tickets have been sold at Anfield for their fans."

But today City director Shaun Harvey told the Telegraph & Argus: "We never said Liverpool fans would definitely be in the new corner stand."

Mr Harvey said a date had yet to be fixed for the match and ticketing arrangements were still being made.

"We have to consider all the options available to us," He said: "Whether that means taking the drastic measure of re-ticketing, increasing segregation on either side of the fence, or whatever."

Mr Harvey said the arrangement of letting away fans into the corner had worked for the Sunderland match.

Responding to the comment that the club was running the risk of a serious safety incident, Mr Harvey said: "That's a police opinion."

In March last year Mr Richmond told the T&A none of the extra 7,000 seats created by the ground re-development would be handed over to away fans because of fears over segregation.

He said: "The away stand lends itself nicely to segregation. Putting away fans in any other part of the ground would be a logistical nightmare."