The football federations are respectively English, Welsh, Northern Irish and Scottish from these islands. There are no British fans. Those who are involved in incidents are English, not British. Please desist from making this perpetual mistake. Celtic Fans are never involved in these incidents. And they are most certainly not British.

David, LARKHALL, SCOTLAND

Something must be clear...english supporters in England..does not trouble anybody...but as soon as they leave their country and go abroad...they become
aggressive...probably because they are not the same people...but only hoolingans...and probably because they drink to much.
what happen in Rome dipends by this items :
- the dead od inspector Raciti in Catania.
- the new law issued by Italian Government.
- the well known situation that Police is always wrong.
- many English that arrived at the stadium without ticktes and drunk.
- many violent people...between english and italians.

Giancarlo Marroni, Rome, Italy

Seems to me (and perhaps I remember incorrectly) that the situation in the 80's was solved for a good many years when English clubs were banned from playing on the Continent until the hooligans stopped their violent ways.
Sounds like time for a little discipline, now, doesn't it?

Jim H., Encino, California

I was walking in the streets of the centre of rome 3-4 hours before the match and groups of 10-15 drunken manchester supporters were having their best time insulting and threatening common people in the streets. i am not a fan of policemen but i think they just did what they had to do.

Giovanni, Rome, Italy

It is Southern Europe that is the problem here, and particularly Italy. Or have we all forgotten the dead police officer in Siciliy earlier this year? Fact is they suffer from continuous football violence in the Mediterranean, and particularly Italy, and I would say that is a clear indicator of a failed policy.

Northern Europe is much more advanced in that sense. Thousands of Liverpool fans travelled to Eindhoven on Tuesday: but NOTHING HAPPENED.

Erik, The Hague, Netherlands

For many, many years, wherever British supporters go, there is trouble. Is it really a coincidence that both at Rome and Seville the police felt they had to act in the way they did? Let us stop this nonsense of "cultural differences" between Northern and Southern Europe. If British police were faced with 4,000 Italian or Spanish supporters misbehaving in London or Manchester, they would not stay idle, would they?

Peter, London,

Some British fans are a disgrace. If they are to travel abroad to "support" their teams they need to learn respect for themselves as representatives abroad, and respect for the country and culture they visit. The first thing British "fans" do, on setting foot abroad, is to drink excessively which affects their behaviour. As a Brit living near Seville I know that the Spanish don´t drink to excess. They drink and eat at the same time, and adult men will be with their families, and very proud to be so. Disrespectful behaviour is rarely seen. The "fans" that visited Seville, visited during Holy Week. They could have made their visit into a mini-break, and after the match attended one of the numerous processions held in Seville. It may have made them feel a little more humble, and focus on something other than drink. Isn´t it time for adults to take responsibility for themselves and their families, and to revert to basic human values starting with respect.

Catherine Groome, Alameda,

William Gaillard, Uefa’s director of communications, told The Times that the problem was not confined to Britain.

“This is not just a problem involving supporters of British clubs and we acknowledge that. Everyone recognises that something has to be done

william gaillard..how dare you say 'something has to be done'..you are in a position of authority...what are YOU doing?

thomas, london, UK

I find it incredible that the accessibility of alcohol (or otherwise) has been forced to the centre of the debate by both the Italian authorities and ignorant observers in Britain. Unprovoked attacks by heavily armed police will result in retaliation whether fans have been drinking or not. The actions of the Carabieneri and the officials in Rome were systematic and deliberate: Condemning Manchester United’s official security advice prior to the game; maintaining a presence only in the travelling support section of the stadium; taking no action whatsoever against home supporters throwing missiles across the stadium; and policing none of the renowned Ultras hotspots that predictably witnessed numerous knife attacks. As someone that attended Wednesday’s game I feel incredibly let down by the FA, whom seem never to have the presence of mind or courage to speak out against the gross mismanagement of games in European competitions.

John, Valencia,

The last World Cup clearly demonstrated how to police the fans of many nations with generally great success. Oversea fans seem to be able to visit British clubs involved in UEFA competitions quite safely.

It is really up to UEFA and local police forces to realise that there are successful, current proven examples on how to control football crowds.

It is time for the hand wringing to stop and for UEFA to show leadership

Stuart, Yeovil,

Excuse my naivety but wouldn't it be easier just to ban all visiting fans from European games? Surely 99% of fans wouldn't travel if they knew that they couldn't get tickets for the match.

Howard Parkinson, Perth, Australia

It is very frustrating to see how this country fails to make any progress across the decades. Same disgusting, drunken behaviour ludicrously defended by the media. Same hopeless education system producing ignorant hooligans. Same hands-off treatment of loud-mouthed louts, naturally encouraging their behaviour. Then we moan when other countries don't accept it.

Mike Evans, Midsomer Norton, UK

English fans are treated based on what happened in the 70s and 80s. Hooliganism within the UK has been virtually wiped out recently, mainly by intelligent policing that aims to stop ugly confrontations before they occur.

I went to Milan to watch my team Ipswich a few years ago and we were continually caged like animals, with the police having some serious looking rifles on display - Ipswich fans, not known for bad behaviour, must obviously have created a reputaion somehow with the Italian police! This behaviour just incites the anger in fans.

I am glad to see that Mr Gailard is starting to realise that the problems don't always stem from the UK. Look at recent events in Italy, and the continual racism in the Southern European states. Where do the real problems lie? There will always be a small minority of hooligans in the UK, as in other countries, but we have found a way to deal with it - and it is certainly not with antagonisation and indiscriminate use of violent force.

Shaun Gibbs, Sydney, Australia

The Italian & Spanish police should issue codes of conduct and these should be distributed to all visiting supporters who should also be accompanied by their own stewards.

Paul, Geilo,

Sad to see that the English disease has broken out again. Rangers fans (ra peepil, by ra way) are nothing but wannabe Engerlund fans anyway. It's no surprise they are involved.

DC, Texas, USA

The head of Rome's police showed cctv footage of the
English side of the fence,they completely ignored what was going on in the Italian fans side.Of course the head of Police will support his men,the problem is that certain elements in the italian police force have it in for British football fans,they the police are very violent,they have in the past been critisized by italian jounalists.
last months murder of an Italian officer in Sicily after a football match proves my point,they batton charged the
italian fans,taking their frustration out on them.
This goes to show a lack of discipline in the ranks.
Also hitting a man when he is down,which was in the cctv footage,for me is cowardice.

David Nigel Braham, Milan, Italy

Every shaven British skull cracked by a European baton is a small blow for civilisation. One day perhaps the British will be fit to be allowed into Europe without having to be herded like the animals they are.

eric, harrogate, uk

Rangers fans were also attacked by police in Pamplona in the last round but the home secretary declined to comment on the matter. The fact that he is a rabid supporter of Celtic may be connected to this selective perception.

Gray, Ugchelen,

Please try to remember that Irish and Scots fans didn't give any reason to police to be violent. It was in Rome, again, not many weeks ago... Of course it was rugby, non football... But I remember also the Scots supporters at Milan-Celtic Glasgow: just marvelous people.

alberto, Miano, Italy

I think Mr Dixon and LouNev should do some homework. Italian football has recently seen fans stabbed, throats slit and policemen lose their lives at games. In Holland they have this season had a club kicked out of European competition for their fans behaviour and violence in the domestic league remains a problem. So this problem does not only rear its head when English teams go abroad. Often we simply walk into the mess that is their stewarding/police tactics. It is far too easy to say it is the English fault just because in the 70s and 80s we had a bad reputation. People need to forget that just because the Spanish and Italian lifestyle suggests style and sophistication this is not the case. The Spanish national managers comments re Henry anyone? The monkey noises made to England players in the friendly international? Paolo Di Canio and Lazio's ultra right wing support? Like we were forced to accept our issues and change so must some other nations, we must stop being so aologetic..

R Goddard, London, London

May be there are different approaches between different police corps.
May be English cops are far more polite.
May be there were some communication problems (Italian riot cops are not required to speak a fluent english, ManU fans are not required to speak a fluent italian).
But, if the average ManU supporter is not able to understand that pushing a riot cop counter a barrier is the best possible way to gain a smash in the head, some doubt is allowed about the functioning of the head even before the smashing.
After, it's easy to say: "they hit me three or four times when I was laying on the ground!".
The problem is not to lay on the ground five seconds after, but to stand up in the wrong place, doing the wrong thing, five seconds before.

Andrea, Rome, Italy

The fact that English fans complain about the robust policing used on the continent is more of an inditement on the level of tolerance which loutish behaviour is accorded in the UK.

Dave Smith, London, England

Check out the video, LouNev. As one of our former Home Secretarys said this week, if our police had acted in the same manner as those in Rome, if officers had repeatedly beat people while they lay on the ground, blood pouring from their head (remember the 1992 Rodney King incident?), then in this country, we would have instituted an immediate inquiry and expected heads to roll. The Italian police were looking for trouble but only on the ManU side of the fence and instead of acting to prevent Roma fans hurling missiles over the partition, they waiting for the inevitable response from ManU fans and then waded in, indiscriminately using their batons like baseball bats!

Keith Downer, London, UK

Regardless of who started the violence, I don't know how you can justify scenes of Police hitting fans who are lying prostrate on the floor. Yes, they needed to calm the situation but this cannot be the way to do it.

Whilst I always love the contributions of idealistic Americans, this isn't a problem with the English, it's a problem with football supporters in general. I didn't see the Italians sitting watching the Mancunians riot. Oh wait, thats because both were behaving badly.

On a final note, I hope the Italians have a look at the footage of missiles being fired into the United crowd by the Roma fans BEFORE any trouble kicked off.

But wait, its the English fans fault......

Jen, Rossendale, Manchester,, UK

It's really irriating to be preached to by the Italians about the behaviour of our fans, particularly as they have such a bad problem in their league games and we do not.

The only answer, of course, is for there to be an all Premiership final, with no trouble.

Joe, Leeds,

The southern europeans being half moor have an inherent aggressive traits when feeling threatened

john, peterrborough, england

Whilst English supporters continue to behave like animals they shall continue to be treated as such, end of discussion.

John Dixon, London, UK

The point is, LouNev, that we've been 'seriously looking at ourselves' since the 1980s, and as a result it's been at least 15 years since we saw anything like these incidents at a football match in England, where attending Premiership and European matches is now as safe as being in church. Which is why the the British police shake their heads in disbelief at the sight of Italian riot police splitting people's heads open.

Jonathan Vause, Bournemouth, UK

One thing is clear in all these reprehensible incidents, the game in Lille, the game in Rome and now the game in Seville - what is the common thread? English "supporters".

While I will not cast aspersions anywhere, I believe the English need to take a serious look at themselves. It is getting rather tiresome of hearing Managers, the English media and "supporters" blaming everyone else while playing the innocents.

LouNev, MBeach, USA

Typical, blame the English supporters for starting it all citing them as alcoholic vandals. Perhaps the European authorities should look at the greater malaise which has been endemic within European football for decades and which has been completely overlooked i.e. the fact that continental supporters and authorities are far more violent then their British counter parts.

Not to mention more corrupt.

Joel, Blackpool,