An attempt to remove the controversial Offensive Behaviour at Football Act could be see it scrapped by next season.

Labour's James Kelly has officially lodged a private member's bill at Holyrood aiming to repeal the law which was passed by the SNP in 2011.

The MSP is confident that the legislation will be scrapped and the forthcoming football season will be the last in which fans will face arrest under its provisions.

If successful, it will be first time devolved legislation has been ripped up.

The law was passed in 2011 when the SNP had a majority in the Scottish Parliament. The party no longer has overall control and most MSPs were elected on manifestos committed to repeal the Act.

The Act prohibits behaviour that could incite public disorder, that discriminates against racial groups and "other behaviour that a reasonable person would be likely to consider offensive".

Kelly said: "The SNP's football act is now approaching injury time. My bid to scrap the Act has now been formally introduced and I am hopeful we can see a vote on it this year.

"As it stands, I am confident that next season will be the final football season with this poor piece of legislation in place. SNP ministers were arrogant to bulldoze this law through Holyrood in the first instance."

Last year, 377 people were charged under the Act, an increase of 32% on the previous year.

The move has been welcomed by the Fans Against Criminalisation group, which has campaigned for the Act to be scrapped.

A spokesman for the group said: "We will continue to campaign to ensure that there are no unnecessary delays in the process of finally repealing the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act.

"Any attempt by the governing party to thwart or delay the progress of the repeal bill will be rigorously exposed and challenged."

However, SNP MSP James Dornan said: "It is absolutely extraordinary that, on the anniversary of the Brexit vote and with all of the challenges that come with it, Labour consider repealing an anti-sectarian law to be one of the biggest issues facing the country - a law which evidence shows the vast majority of people across Scotland as a whole support.

"At a time when the SNP government is focused on education, health, jobs, the economy and protecting Scotland during the Brexit negotiations, other parties would rather see us remove legislation that tackles sectarianism, prejudice and discrimination whilst offering no alternative in its place. "