Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has vowed to introduce measures which would allow football fans to hire and fire their club's directors – if his party wins the next general election.

In a meeting with Newcastle United supporters, he openly criticised the effects that "bad owners" had on clubs – and singled out Newcastle's billionaire businessman owner Mike Ashley as an example.

Corbyn said that a Labour government would legislate so that supporters’ trusts would have the right to appoint and dismiss at least two members of a club’s board of directors.

"Football clubs are too important to be left in the hands of bad owners like Mike Ashley, who put their own business interests ahead of everything else," Corbyn said.

"Football clubs are part of the social fabric that binds us together. Under Labour, fans will have a say in how their clubs are run.

"Let's take the beautiful game away from the billionaires and hand it to the fans instead."

The announcement forms part of a larger package of proposals by Labour, designed to empower fans and improve football governance.

The party has also committed to ensuring that the English Premier League invests 5 per cent of its income from TV rights into grassroots.

“Sport must be run in the interests of those who participate in it, follow it and love it, not just for the privileged and wealthy few," Corbyn said.