Banned hooligan bursts into tears

Police in Amsterdam appear relaxed but vigilant

A convicted soccer hooligan started crying when police refused to let him travel from England to the Netherlands for the Euro 2000 championships.

Glen Sparks, from Norwich, burst into tears after officials at Harwich Port, Essex, told him it was pointless travelling as the Dutch authorities would turn him back.

He incurred an international banning order and domestic football exclusion for being convicted of violent disorder after a Norwich match against Ipswich in February 1998.

Mr Sparks was one of a number of men named by the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) as having been prevented from travelling to the Euro 2000 games.

Stuart Burke, from Newcastle upon Tyne, was refused entry at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport and ordered back to the UK.

He has no convictions or banning orders but the NCIS said he was suspected of involvement in trouble during the 1988 World Cup.

Turned back

Justin Barrell, from Leicester, and Anthony Harrison, from Loughborough, were turned back as they tried to enter Belgium on the Eurostar.

Police said they had convictions for threatening behaviour and Harrison had another one for theft, but neither of the men were banned from travelling.

Officers were escorting them back to Waterloo train station in London on Saturday evening.

In a separate development, 12 English football supporters were turned away from a ferry in Hull on Saturday as they tried to travel to The Netherlands.

A Humberside Police spokesman stressed that the supporters were not hooligans but said that P&O North Sea Ferries had a policy of not transporting soccer fans.