Ian Spruce, seen here in happier days, is disheartened and has lost all passion for his team, the Rabbitohs.

After 40 years of support, six years of work and thousands of dollars, the South Sydney Rabbitohs have put the boot into their number one fan.

Ian Spruce drives his van, full of signs and banners, from his Newcastle home to every Rabbitohs game, travelling more than 5000km and forking out at least $10,000 a year.

As president of the fan club, The Burrow, he sets up the grandstand for fans but has been told by the club that his services are no longer needed.

Mr Spruce has also been told that if he wishes to be at any home game, he will have to pay for a membership, an expense he was previously spared.

“It could seem petty to many people, but it is not about the money,” Mr Spruce said of the $160 fee.

“It’s the principle of the matter - they turned around and said to me that they don’t care what I’d done in the past but this was how it was going to be from now on.

“Plus, I always said that if I ever had to pay for the privilege of working all day at the games then I wouldn’t do it.”

Trouble started with the club before the Return to Redfern game last month, when Mr Spruce was told by a Souths official that he would have to race the 5000 fans to secure a spot to set up the Burrow.

“At one stage I was even planning to set the banners up on nearby houses because they weren’t going to let me into the game - all because I wasn’t a season pass holder,” he said.

Rabbitohs chief executive Shane Richardson said every Burrow member was ticketed and it should be no different for Mr Spruce.

“All we asked him was to become a ticketed member and he has refused to do it, so that is his choice,” Mr Richardson said.

“The whole mentality of the survival of this club is about ticketed membership - we have made no secret about that.”

Mr Spruce, who writes the Rabbit Stew blog on games for the Courier and calls himself the “Mighty Rabbit” on his answer machine, has lost all passion for his team.

He has relinquished his position as Burrow president, handing control over to the committee.

“If the Rabbits were going to turn around and say they stuffed up, quite frankly I don’t know whether I could do it all again - I have gotten over a lot of kicks in the guts over the years but this one has really hurt,” he said.

Burrow vice-president Michelle Booth said the members accepted Mr Spruce’s decision and that there was no animosity between him and the Burrow.

“We all accept that it is a personal decision; he was a friend before and will continue to be and if he chooses to not buy a season pass then that is his choice,” Ms Booth said.

Souths have this season sold more than 8000 ticketed memberships, anywhere from $160 to $300 for reserved seating at home games.

Mr Spruce believes the membership drive has been a good way to build the fan base but said “the club just see the supporters as a dollar sign nowadays”.

“It’s really disappointing and quite disrespectful to all the Rabbitohs fans,” he said.

“To me, running the Burrow at the games is not about securing the fan base. It is about having a great day out at the footy and showing the rest of the world how good Souths can be on and off the field.”