FOOTBALL fans may soon be able to order their half-time orders for pie and tea free by mobile phone ... thanks to a trio of schoolgirls.

Children from a Manchester school have drawn up plans for a mobile phone system allowing supporters to pre-order food and drinks during matches and the idea is now being scrutinised by managers at Man City.

Bosses at the Premiership club are currently looking at how they can use the latest technology. They now say they are 'seriously considering' plans suggested by the 14 and 15-year-old pupils which would enable supporters to beat the half time rush using their phone's Bluetooth function. The system could also be used to download information about club fixtures, individual player and half-time stats, and also enter fans into prize draws.

Ideas
Kornelia Bala, Rachel Hendricks and Sara Pham, all pupils at Cedar Mount High school in Gorton, were among the pupils from across Manchester challenged to come up with new business ideas for the Eastlands team. Although the scheme was only meant to be educational, their solution was so compelling that Eastland officials say they may end up adopting them.

Pete Bradshaw, the club's head of engagement, said: "We asked students what we could do to enhance the match day experience for fans and visitors. The girls came up with something that is actually something we are looking at anyway. They took a very contemporary issue and looked at the available technology. They have come up with some ideas that are worth some serious consideration.

'Concerts'
"We have already been looking at things that could be done using mobile phones for match days and concerts. These pilots have worked on a very small scale last year but have worked very well. They will hopefully see some of their ideas turn into real actions that will be piloted later in the year. The phone side is possible but the girls had suggested that orders could be delivered to the seats. Obviously there will be a problem if 50,000 people order all at once but there is definitely a potential for some form of pre-ordering."

Prize

The girls, who received football shirts and iPods as part of their prize, made a business-style pitch presentation to club officials to explain their plan. They have now been invited to sit-in on high level meetings to make suggestions about the new digital innovations could work. When the 48,000-seater City of Manchester Stadium opened, the club pioneered the use of electronic swipecards to let fans through turnstiles. In 2006, the club tried out chipped mobile phones which can be charged with credit and then swiped to pay for food, drink and other items. T

he phones, which had been supplied by electronics giant Philips, were road-tested by a small number of season-ticket holders. And last year the club trialled a web-based T-shirt printing service, where fans in the stands can order custom-made strips using their mobile phone.