PETER Brighton has made a detailed study of football hooliganism over the years and makes regular contact with yobs in Britain and abroad.

The problem, which was once the scourge of the 1970s and early 80's in Britain, is now seeing something of a mini revival.

Police carried out a number of raids on the homes of yobs in the run up to Euro '96 after examining footage of disturbances in the North East, the Midlands and London during the '95-'96 football season.

Hooliganism has been a much bigger problem elsewhere in Europe, with thugs in Germany, Holland and Italy near the top of the league of louts. All of those teams will be playing in the North West. Mr Brighton says Italian and Dutch hooligans are unlikely to travel to England, while Germany's yobs have declared their intention to battle with the English.

But according to Mr Brighton, fans from the Czech Republic who are also playing at Old Trafford, could provide another major headache for police.

Mr Brighton said: "Hooliganism has really taken off in a big way in Eastern Europe and many of the gangs have English names. Czech Republic gangs have a burning hatred of Germans and that could cause problems.

"I know for a fact that Czech gangs have had talks and want to come over but it will all depend on whether they can raise the cash." In England, most clubs still have a hard core of yobs grouped into "firms" who rear their heads from time to time. They see themselves as defending the honour of their club or town.

Gangs in Greater Manchester are joining together to form a "superfirm" to take on Germans. But club loyalties will only allow alliances to go so far. Manchester United has been excluded from the superfirm and Leeds thugs have pledged to attack any fans coming to Leeds whether they are English or foreign, he says.

Mr Brighton believes the Football Association has missed the opportunity to use Euro '96 to tackle the problem of soccer hooliganism. He said: "The problems arise from all the money made from football. When England fans travel abroad they are treated like animals and have to pay an arm and a leg to go with official FA travel clubs which rip the fans off.

"If tickets were distributed to proper supporters clubs it would encourage the genuine supporters to go and there would be no objection to a crackdown on hooligans.

"In Scotland they have a completely different attitude which has resulted in a great deal of success with the setting up information lines. If hooliganism is to be stamped out it has to have the involvement of the fans but in England there has been no attempt to isolate the the genuine fans from the hooligans."

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