Ticketless fans head for Euro 2000

English fans get in the party mood in Holland

Up 17,000 England fans are expected to travel to Holland without tickets for their team's opening game in Eindhoven on Monday, says its mayor.

A huge security operation has been launched by Dutch and Belgian authorities and police have warned potential English troublemakers that "violence would be met with violence".

The city's mayor Dr Rein Welschen said he expected thousands of English fans to turn up in the city over the weekend for the game against Portugal - but only 8,000 have tickets.

I simply refuse to do what the media ask and say that we are fighting a war here

Eindhoven mayor Dr Rein Welschen

Supporters will be arrested for the most minor offences such as swearing at a police officer, making rude gestures or urinating in the street, said Eindhoven police spokesman Johann Beelen.

Fans will also be searched at random and if they are not carrying their passport they will be arrested on the spot.

Despite fears of violence fans will be able to drink in the bars in central Eindhoven until 0400 local time.

Dr Welschen said: "We do not want a situation where we have bars closing as if the country was at war.

"I simply refuse to do what the media ask and say that we are fighting a war here."

Random checks

The police operation for the England game will be the largest ever in Eindhoven. More than 2,000 police officers will be on duty on Monday.

As yet no English fans have been arrested in the city.

Many fans from England are expected to head for Amsterdam, traditionally a magnet for supporters, where police have 1,100 officers on duty over the weekend.

David Beckham in training for Monday's match

The Dutch police have already turned back some England supporters.

Two dozen English fans were turned back at the Dutch and Belgium borders, Home Office sources said.

Their names were on a list of known or suspected hooligans passed to police in the host counties.

Two hooligans travelling to Belgium on the Eurostar were turned back after being spotted by British Transport Police.

The officers contacted the Belgium authorities and the men are being escorted back to the UK on the cross-Channel rail link.

Trouble 'inevitable'

Despite various court measures aimed at banning convicted hooligans from travelling, England fans arriving in Amsterdam have predicted there will be trouble at various stages of the tournament.

Members of the England Travel Club said violence was deplorable but inevitable.

"Unfortunately our reputation goes before us, and it's not only the European Championship for football, but the European Championship for violence," said Phil Jones, 34, a transport manager from Grimsby.

Over £10m has been spent by police on extra security measures for the football tournament.