TOMORROW Wembley Stadium, the grand old lady of English football, sees the launch of Euro 96, the biggest sporting event to be held on our shores since the World Cup in 1966.

Thousands of football fans from all over Europe will witness what we hope will be a feast of sport. More than 40,000 will travel to the North West for the group matches being played in Manchester and Liverpool.

It makes a mouth-watering prospect.

Let us hope that the recent incidents involving the England team are forgotten and that the fans get on with the real business. That of supporting their teams vociferousy but peacefully.

The police of many nations have co-operated in an attempt to keep out the mindless louts whose only aim in life is to wreck such tournaments.

All true fans, and there are thousands of us, will be hoping that the hooligan menace has been contained and that the vast array of talent taking part in the competition will be allowed to get on with the business of playing football.

In 1966 the World Cup was a wonderful spectacle. There was no crowd trouble. The players, with the exception of a certain Argentinian who left for an early bath, behaved perfectly.

The message to the fans is simple. Back your team to the hilt, but behave yourself.

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