Footballer in hooligan arrest inquiry

Dai Thomas arriving at a Belgian detention centre

A Cardiff City footballer was arrested and deported from Brussels following crowd trouble during Euro 2000, Belgian police have confirmed.

Now Cardiff City football club have launched an immediate inquiry after new video footage revealed Dai Thomas in the midst of a violent mob of English hooligans.

Officials at Ninian Park have so far supported Thomas and his denials that he is a football hooligan.

Now the club says they are reconsidering their position in light of the new evidence

The striker refused to comment but has previously maintained he merely got caught up in the crowd, and was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It is a serious matter

Steve Borley

The former Swansea and Watford player went to the European championships allegedly as a supporter.

But footage shows Thomas doing far more than more ordinary fans in Brussels.

He can be seen at the back of a group as thugs attack a young north African man in the street.

He is then seen taking a much more central role as hooligans taunt Belgian police.

Overwhelming

In a later stand-off the Caerphilly-born Cardiff player also encouraged a chorus of "England, England".

Cardiff City chairman Steve Borley said: "It is a serious matter.

"But we can only act on information we've got. South Wales Police hasn't provided us with that information."

Thomas emerges from Le Fiacre bar

And when asked, Mr Borley said Thomas was denying any involvement with any trouble. But the evidence appears overwhelming.

At one stage, Thomas can be seen trying to remove a metal barrier.

It was this, and three hours into the troubles, that police finally lost patience.

They pursued the so-called fans to the now notorious Le Fiacre bar.

Thomas can be seen emerging from the building removing his shirt and was among dozens of men arrested. He was later sent home.

"The man I've seen on the film was definitely arrested," said Brussels Police spokesman Christian De Coninck.

"And all those people arrested that evening were brought to a regional detention centre from where they were deported to the UK."