Fans and bosses at Oxford United will work together to find a compromise after the club clamped down on flagpoles being used in the stands.

Supporters have been bringing flags on collapsible sticks to games for almost two years, but in a recent home match against Lewes some were confiscated by stewards.

The club, which has used images of flag-waving fans in promotional leaflets, said its policy had not changed and officials want to encourage atmosphere, but admitted the poles were against ground regulations.

Robert Newton, from Banbury, has made 100 Oxford United flags for fellow fans, of which about 40 are on poles.

He said: “When I started making handles I had a conversation over email with (then stadium safety officer) Tony Ashley and he said as long as they’re not pointed and not misused then he didn’t have a problem with them.

“The ground regulations do forbid them, but it’s about common sense, like with the supporters standing up.

“Most people seem to like them. They’ve been used without malice, have not got in people’s way and, as far as I’m aware, nobody’s complained.”

The club has said it is willing to come to a compromise with fans and will hold a meeting next week.

Supporters’ group Ultimate Yellows, which was created to add more colour to the stands, said it had been encouraged to bring flags to matches by Simon Lenagan, son of club investor Ian, last year.

Group founder Simon Cant said: “I’ve had a chat with Kelvin Thomas and he said he was very happy to have a meeting to discuss this and come to some sort of collaboration. He was pretty positive about it.”

Zac Knowles, a 15-year-old fan from Middle Barton, said: “We are all just genuine fans who want to try to add a bit more colour to the stadium, and it’s not like we are waving them all through the game. We only wave them when the players come out and when we score.

“If they were being used in an inappropriate or malicious way then I could understand, but they’re not.”

Any alterations to the ground regulations cannot be made until March, when groups including the police will attend a quarterly safety meeting.

Chairman Kelvin Thomas said: “We have been approached by some fans in regards to this issue, and after talking to fans we have set up a meeting next week with various members of the fanbase to discuss the matter.

“We do have to answer to ground regulations but if we can find a compromise that creates atmosphere in a safe manner then why wouldn’t the club be for it?

“We welcome atmosphere and we want to continue our good run with the fans cheering us on in their numbers.”

Martin Brodetsky, the editor of fan website Rage Online, had one of his flags taken away at the game against Lewes last Sunday.

He said: “I folded it under my seat but one of the stewards saw it and he took the sticks away. He wasn’t aggressive about it and said he had been told it breaches ground regulations.

“I was surprised because I’d taken them in before, and the steward said it was new.”