Ajax ban supporters from carrying signs asking players for their shirts at matches

The Dutch club confiscated several signs during the season-opening Super Cup match against PSV Eindhoven

Ajax have said that cardboard signs are a fire hazard (Getty Images)

Ajax Amsterdam have banned fans from bringing signs into Johan Cruyff Arena asking players for their shirts after matches, Dutch media reported on Tuesday.

The club have told the Ajax supporters association that they had noticed an increasing number of such signs at games, mostly being held by children.

It was no longer possible for the players to fulfil all the requests and when players walked by without handing over a shirt they were often criticised as arrogant, the club said.

The cardboard being used also posed a fire hazard, the club said, and several signs were confiscated on Saturday when the stadium hosted the season-opening Super Cup match between Ajax and PSV Eindhoven.

PSV secured the Johan Cruyff Shield with an entertaining 5-3 victory as summer-signing Guus Til scored a hat-trick on debut.

Ajax, winners of the Eredivisie last season, had Calvin Bassey sent off late on.

The club appointed Alfred Schreuder, who guided Club Brugge to the Belgian title last year, to replace Erik ten Hag as manager after the 52-year-old joined Manchester United this summer.