THE East Lancashire man kicked out of the World Cup by Japanese authorities has a history of soccer violence, it was revealed today.

Mark Holden, 33, was stopped at an airport in Tokyo yesterday and is expected back in Britain today.

He was jailed for two months during the 1998 World Cup in France and once exluded from football grounds in the UK after an offence at Turf Moor.

Mr Holden, of Herbert Street, Burnley, was refused entry by Japanese immigration authorities at Narita International Airport in Tokyo.

The UK's National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) said he was not among the 1,007 England supporters who have had their passports confiscated under banning orders but he was among hundreds whose profiles they have passed to Japanese police as potential troublemakers.

Mr Holden was convicted of threatening behaviour towards a police officer during the last World Cup in France in 1998 and was sentenced to two months in jail.

He and a friend were also convicted of attacking French supporters and stealing tickets for England's match against Argentina.

Both were ordered to pay their victims a total of 2,000 francs (about £200) and were banned from France for two years.

Holden was temporarily excluded from football grounds in this country in 1997 for a football related offence in which he admitted to being drunk at Turf Moor following a game against Preston North End.

Inspector Dave Shepherd, police football liaison officer in Burnley, said: "The Japanese warned football supporters that they would turn back everyone who had inappropriate convictions. This has been the case with this person and other people convicted of similar offences should take note.

"Mark Holden is known to police in Burnley for football related offences."

A travelling companion of Holden's, who has not been named by police, was also refused entry to Japan.

A spokesman for Burnley Football Club said they were not aware they had any record of Mark Holden being a Clarets fan. No one was available to comment at Holden's home in Burnley, where an England window sticker was displayed.