Concern, quite rightly, was stressed after France 98 about the way tickets for the World Cup games were allocated. Two years and one enquiry later and nothing has changed.

Euro 2000 may have chosen a different system by which to sell the tickets, but in essence it has only created new problems rather than improving the ticketing system.

The farcical situation on ticketing policy began when 400,000 tickets were put on sale over the Internet last June. Whoever had that barmy idea must have been hit on the head shortly before. In fact, you could say it's double dutch!

Back in June 1999 the qualifying programme was far from over - we all remember that England looked like they could be on their way out of the tournament after a poor display against Sweden at Wembley. But that didn't stop Euro 2000 from putting tickets on sale six months before the draw.

It made it a lottery for fans. They had to buy tickets for a match with no chance of knowing which nations would be playing.

Those fans who bought tickets had to name the people who would be using them. The aim was to stop the tickets getting into the hands of touts and hooligans. But that has just resulted in true football fans being left out of pocket after they discovered they would not be able to make the game.

After the draw was made last December supporters knew their fate. But despite attempts from scores of ticket holders to either get tickets exchanged, sold or even donated to charity, Euro 2000 refused to budge and said the tickets were non-transferable.

For example, one fan, Simon Creeger, learned after the draw that his four tickets were for Portugal v Germany and England v Romania. Both matches are on the same day, at the same time, in different countries. Brilliant.

Simon obviously wants to see England in action and wanted to get rid of his tickets for the Portugal v Germany match. But, despite Portugal and Germany having sold their entire allocation for the match, Euro 2000 refused to let Simon sell the tickets on to the national associations or allow him to return the tickets to them for resale.

Another fan, Conor Morgan, had a similar problem. His brother can't make two of the games he has tickets for, but he's not allowed to give them to his father as the tickets don't show his name.

Euro 2000 have issued a number of warnings that every fan will be checked to make sure they are not using a ticket which has not been issued to them. It claims that if the name on the ticket does not match your passport or identification documents then you will be refused entry to the stadium.

Why Euro 2000 ever thought of putting tickets up for sale before the fixture is beyond me. Well, actually, when you think about it it's very obvious. It wanted to get the cash rolling in as soon as possible.

The excuse that it wanted to avoid thugs getting hold of the tickets is pretty lame as well. If you're selling tickets over the Internet and not through national associations you hardly have the same control over who is receiving them.

Sale of tickets over the Internet still has a place if it actually through the associations. It's obviously important not to tar all supporters with the same brush, but in these days checks do need to be made to make sure that tickets aren't getting into the wrong hands. The best way is to let the national bodies vet the applicants.

Now Euro 2000 itself appears to be realising the error they have made. A new website that launched recently offers the chance for fans to swap tickets with others who want to go to a different game.

Tickexchange.com - eventually used by both Simon and Conor to solve their ticket crisis - is confident that the vast majority of fans will not have their tickets checked.

Euro 2000's response to the scheme was confusing. It refused to back the project, but also said it thought it would be a success. But that's the type of response you come to expect from European football's organising bodies.

Fans can go to the website and leave details of the tickets that want to sell or exchange, and/or what they are looking for. Tickexchange then acts as a mediator between the two interested parties. The site only takes a small service charge when the deal is complete.

And the site is determined not to be seen as a glorified tout, with tickets only allowed to change hands at face value and all transactions traceable.

The hope has to be that Tickexchange will be a success. The interest of the fan must come first. It is a sport driven by supporters and if the scheme helps only a handful of people it will be a worthwhile project.

But it looks like it is going to be very successful, with plans to extend it to other major tournaments for a variety of sports in the future.