IT IS of small comfort that German football hooligans on the rampage in France have shown an appalled world that violent louts are not exclusively English.

But what is encouraging are the moves now afoot to purge soccer of this scum - even if they should have been in force long before the World Cup finals kicked off.

For we see the French banning known hooligans from their country for life - and actually doing so even if these thugs have not caused trouble.

Quite right, too.

For while some people may complain this is an attack on civil liberties, common sense does give known louts the freedom to start trouble before they are dealt with.

The French are right.

And their example should be backed up by expelled hooligans having restriction orders slapped on them as soon as they are sent home and being sacked, as Tony Blair suggests - with those who have been convicted being forced to compensate the French as well.

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