Foreign Office warn England fans off Euro 2004 qualifier

Britain's Foreign Office warned England's football fans not to travel to Istanbul for their side's decisive Euro 2004 qualifier against Turkey at the weekend.

"We strongly urge any England supporters who might be considering travelling to England's Euro 2004 qualifier (on Saturday) not to do so for safety reasons," Foreign Office junior minister Baroness Elizabeth Symons said in a statement.

Turkish authorities have set up measures to stop English fans attending the match and British nationals travelling to Turkey intending to watch the game will be refused permission to enter the country, the Foreign Office said.

No tickets have officially been sold to England fans, but the British police are worried that a hard core of hooligans are determined to travel to Turkey.

"We understand that every possible measure will be taken by the host authorities to prevent English fans from gaining access to the stadium," Symons said.

"Only on presentation of a valid Turkish ID card and match ticket will supporters be allowed to enter the ground," Symons said.

Tensions between the two countries on the football front have simmered since the stabbing to death of two English fans in Istanbul in 2000.

An English police team will be in Turkey to provide advice and assistance to the local authorities and to gather evidence of any misbehaviour, according to the Foreign Office.