Dr Stott favours a 'softly softly' approach to policing

Dr Clifford Stott, a psychologist from the University of Liverpool, says low-profile policing should be used during the Euro 2004 tournament.

He is working with authorities in Portugal to help improve security at the games.

In research published in The Psychologist, he says using a friendly approach is the most effective tactic.

He has been working with Otto M J Adang of the Netherlands Police to advise the Portuguese Public Security Police (PSP) on their tactics.

Dr Stott said research into travelling English fans over the past three years showed "indiscriminate heavy-handed policing" angered ordinary fans, uniting them in opposition to the police.

He said most cases of large-scale disorder resulted from this situation.

"This had the effect of drawing ordinary fans into conflict with the police," he said.

"We discovered that employing riot police to tackle the problem of hooliganism during Euro 2000 was at best ineffectual and at worst counterproductive.

Portuguese police have been kitted out to deal with trouble

"Fans who would normally have no intention of engaging in hooliganism came to see conflict with the police as acceptable."

Convicted hooligans and those thought to be troublemakers are to be banned from going to the tournament.

Portuguese police and immigration officers are in London to decide whether individuals should be refused entry to Portugal.

British police spotters will also be in Portugal and Spain keeping tabs on the England fans.

Portugal has also formally reimposed border controls with other European countries to improve security and police have been given new riot control equipment.

Dr Stott added: "We hope that our research will provide the basis for a much more effective policing strategy which will reduce the incidence of large-scale disorder during Euro 2004.