England's only troublemaker?

Soccernet's Sean Smith witnesses a trouble free start to England's Euro 2000 campaign and asks, what was all the fuss about?

It is the usual story whenever English fans travel the 21 miles across the English Channel to the European mainland. I don't know what the condition is but sub-editors at all the national papers are joined by normally astute radio and TV commentators in taking full leave of their senses.

After reading the verbal diarrhoea meted out in the weeks preceding the tournament I was fully expecting to be beaten up at either the airport, ferry or Eurostar station of my choice, before walking into an almighty riot when finally staggering into the Low Countries.

All England fans are, of course, mindless thugs hell-bent on getting trashed out of their minds before relieving innocent people of theirs with violence. They are idiotic, uncultured, simple-minded folk - racists happy to spill their pint and their blood for a cause with a manifesto more blurred than their vision. Or so we are led to believe.

Over here the Dutch and Belgian police have been preparing for an 'invasion' of 'mindless thugs' with an army of extra officers with tear gas and batons, a legion of rabid dogs, and a batallion of water cannons as back up. The battle of Belgium was set to be bloody.

	Brussels rioting area or La Grande Place?

But so far this has failed to materialise and from the moment I stepped sheepishly out of customs at Zaventem Airport in the home base of Euro 2000 - Brussels - and wandered through the Arrivals Lounge there has been nothing but good humour between all nationalities taking part in the tournament.

There was the rather vino-sozzled Frenchman whose only indulgence of the English language was to repeat 'Zizou, Zizou, he the best', the Dutch/English/French/Flemish speaking Belgian policeman who forgave us the rather embarassing crime of driving straight into la Grande Place, which is religiously kept free of vehicles (presumably so the Belgians can celebrate victories with a riot).

Then there were the Turkish, Swedish, Danish, Spanish, and hundreds of Dutch, Belgian and Portuguese fans milling around the streets of Brussels and Eindhoven on Monday who laughed and joked with each other in the international language of football as the police patrolled the streets in dress-down T-shirts and riot vans.

There was the Italians using the al fresco temperatures in the Low Countries on Monday to eat mussels and discuss the failings of Dino Zoff in a most entertaining and animated way. Also the group of mountainous Czech fans who found the only way to come to terms with the currency and the Holland defeat was to swap the dough for sweet Belgian biere.

But deep within this European union in the continent's administrative centre was a core of England fans - steadily growing throughout the day and mingling with their counterparts from 'over the water'.

	Philips Stadion (DaveRogers/Allsport)

But all this was 170km away from the epicentre of the English storm, Eindhoven. Surely tremors were beginning to be felt in 'Philips' town as the largest police force prepared to take control of upwards of 23,000 travelling English fans.

Not a bit of it, according to the FA's Government sanctioned mobile embassy, which is following the England fans around during the tournament.

Throughout the festivities in Eindhoven only two arrests were made - one for verbally abusing a Dutch policeman and the second for climbing a flagpole and refusing to come down. The Stalag Sports Halls and mobile jails remained forlorn and empty.

'There was a wonderful festival atmosphere in the main square in Eindhoven and everyone was determined to have a good time,' FA Embassy's Glen Gibson told Soccernet. 'Most England fans are taking this advantage to have a holiday.

The credit doesn't lie totally at the feet of these new age England fans. The organisers and locals have bent over backwards to make Euro 96 look like the flop that it really was, if you take the home team's performance away from the equation.

Belgium fans rioting on the opening night is the only blot on the organisers copy book. England have enjoyed a wonderful reception - contrary to the newspapers predictions.

Gibson added: 'We have got to give a lot of credit to the locals for Monday's festivities. They got it just right and made the day a party. And that is what we are all here for.'

Apart from enjoying the party atmosphere the FA have had to field some of the more bizarre requests and complaints that England's roving support can throw at them in Brussels, Eindhoven, Amsterdam and Charleroi.

'Possibly the wierdest moment we had was from a fan who was really put out after being turned away from the Philips Stadion by the stewards.

'He was very upset about the fact that he was not allowed to take an apple into the ground. Apparently fruit is not allowed in Dutch stadia - not even oranges!'

As England recovered from an almighty hangover on Tuesday, the build-up began in earnest for the big game in Charleroi - the venue that should never have been. The city - capital of the Pays Noir region renowned for mining and steel - has so far only seen a half-full crowd for Slovenia-Yugoslavia.

That will change when 50,000 English fans join about the same number of Germans from Friday night onwards.

But the big question remains: will there be trouble?

If the lessons of Eindhoven are learnt then none that you'd notice, I suspect. Whether the slightest flare-up escalates or the months of media xenophobia finally get to a few sozzled idiots we will have to wait and see. But the FA Mobile Embassy is not expecting it.

'All we are expecting is the festivities to move over to Charleroi.' Gibson said. 'But situations are bound to arise that we will be unable to control. Whatever happens we are expecting to be very, very busy.'

Busy visiting Sports Halls and mobile jails or busy with illegal fruit and flagpoles? After enjoying the party in Holland and Belgium on Monday, I think the apple will just pip it.