Pub bosses and police in York awaiting tonight's crucial England match today sent out a plea to the city's football fans: enjoy yourselves and behave.

Landlords bracing themselves for tonight's clash with Romania fear any repeat of last week's trouble could see police forcing pubs to close their doors - a tactic used in the past on race days.

Violence erupted in York city centre last week following England's opening victory against Tunisia.

The city's cells were filled to overflowing after 45 arrests were made in the aftermath of England's 2-0 win in Marseilles.

Mick Johnson, president of York Licensed Victuallers' Association, urged football fans intent on watching tonight's match in the pub "not too spoil it for the rest of us".

Mr Johnson said: "If the trouble escalates I am sure the police will force the pubs to close their doors early.

"I am sure the police will not put up with it for much longer if the trouble continues as it did last week," he warned.

PC Arthur Swaine, licensing officer for York said the closing of pub doors was an option open to police.

He said: "We do have the facility to do that but we would not want to because it ruins trade.

"However, if the violence continues on the same scale as last week it would be a consideration and we would consult with publicans prior to taking any action."

At the height of last week's trouble in York, police had arrested so many offenders they had to be dispatched to Selby and Malton because the city's cells were filled to capacity.

PC Richard Brown, of York police, said the number of police officers working tonight would be increased by a "considerable" number of special constables.''

DCI John Lacy said: "There will be an extra police presence in the city centre tonight with the 2 - 10pm shift staff staying later to joint the later shift.

"We will not tolerate disorderly behaviour. Whether fans are jubilant or commiserating, we take a dim view of disorderly behaviour, and people need to be warned."

Four English hooligans who were expelled from France today in the first use of a new security strategy allowing authorities to remove known troublemakers without waiting for them to cause problem arrived at Heathrow Airport accompanied by French police officers.

The four, all from the West Midlands, were picked up yesterday while drinking on a bar terrace in the elegant central Toulouse square.

They had been recognised by British "spotter police".

High-profile policing tactics drawn up by city authorities to deal with fans arriving for today's match had their first success last night.

More than 100 officers in riot gear - helped, for the first time, by British police using loudspeakers to mediate with the crowd - successfully cleared a group of around 150 fans who had blocked one of Toulouse's busiest roads.

There were a few bottles thrown and a few minor scuffles, but no arrests.

At least 10,000 England fans, only around 3,000 of whom had officially acquired tickets, arrived in Toulouse today.

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